One study suggests that playing team sports is better for children’s mental health than individual sports like tennis.
A study of 11,000 boys aged 9-13 found that those who played group sports such as football or basketball were one-fifth less likely to experience depression than those who did not exercise.
However, children who did only individual sports such as gymnastics, tennis and wrestling were 15% more likely to experience anxiety than those who did not exercise.
The California State University researchers who conducted the study said that team sports ‘a tool to support the mental health of children and adolescents’.
While playing with others increases togetherness and creates a healthy sense of competition, individual sports may cause more performance anxiety, the researchers said.
But the authors call for more research into the extent to which individual sports may be “problematic” for young people, and “under what circumstances.”
California State University researchers found that those who played football and basketball were one-fifth less likely to develop depression than those who did not exercise. However, those who do only individual sports such as gymnastics, tennis, and wrestling are 15% more likely to experience anxiety than those who do not exercise.
HOW MUCH SHOULD CHILDREN EXERCISE?
Children and teens should do two types of physical activity each week.
This includes aerobic exercises and exercises to strengthen muscles and bones.
Children ages 5 to 18 should get at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous exercise a day.
In addition, they need to do a wide variety and intensity of sports to improve their movement, muscle and bone skills.
Moderate activities include school walks, playground activities, gym, soccer and tennis.
Muscle strengthening exercises include gymnastics, jumping and martial arts.
Source: NHS
Researchers analyzed data on the sports habits of 11,235 American children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study.
The ongoing 10-year study provides once or twice a year surveys for children and their parents, games and puzzles that assess brain function, saliva samples for tests and MRI scans.
To qualify, children must play at least one individual or team sport that is competitive, includes formal exercise, has rules, is coached by an adult or youth leader.
3,348 youth participated in team sports, 2,366 in individual sports and around 1,750 in both team and individual sports.
Mental health was compared with a control group that did not exercise.
After adjusting for other factors that could affect a child’s mental health, the team found that those who participated in team sports were 10% less likely to be anxious or depressed than their non-athletic peers.
The withdrawal risks were also 19% lower.
Team athletes were also 17% less likely to experience social problems, and attention problems were 12% lower in the cohort.
However, those who exercised individually were 16% more likely to experience anxiety or depression and 14% more likely to withdraw than those who did not exercise.
Social problems were 12% more common, and children were 14% more likely to have attention problems if they did individual sports.
The results were published in the journal PLO UNO †.
The researchers noted that playing on a team has “emotional and behavioral benefits” that may be due to “many opportunities for positive social interactions.”
Team athletes may also experience a “feeling of belonging and cohesion with teammates” that can increase young people’s social skills and ability to cope with stress.
The negative mental impact in individual sports players may be due to young people experiencing “significant stress” performing in front of an audience and fear of others judging their appearance, the researchers said.
The researchers said they may be “fully aware” of what parents, families and peers expect from them, which “could lead to pressure for good results”.
However, the researchers said it’s the first study to report that individual fitness can cause more mental problems than not exercising, so it requires more research.
Previous research had shown that individual sports were associated with fewer panic symptoms and fewer problems with inattention and hyperactivity in young adults.
Source: Daily Mail
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