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Physical fitness and risk of mental disorders in children and adolescents

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Re: Physical fitness and risk of mental disorders in children and adolescents

#11

Post by Firaxus »

billconan wrote: post #8

shouldn't the title be "Physical weakness/unhealthiness and the risk of mental disorders"? based on the abstract, Physical weakness/unhealthiness is positively correlate to mental disorders. not the opposite.

The title is matching the title of the linked article (if you’re referring to the title here on HN, and not the title the author chose to use for their article).

From a pedantic perspective, the title doesn’t imply the positivity/negativity of the correlation, just that there is a relationship to be elaborated upon in the article.

Re: Physical fitness and risk of mental disorders in children and adolescents

#12

Post by NickC25 »

zzzeek wrote: post #5

less anxious / depressed kids get to do more sports in the first place. kids without "the right attitude" or a lack of innate ability are routinely excluded from sports, as im sure many of us here have experienced.

I was routinely picked last if not at all in sports all throughout my childhood.

As a result, I picked up sports I could do on my own, such as lifting weights, biking, swimming, and running. Individual sports such as golf and tennis followed naturally.

I would have otherwise been a complete shut-in. Although I do have a lack of executive function, I make sure to get exercise as often as I can. Classes at the local gym are a godsend - I don't need to prep, plan ahead, or anything. I just need to show up at the right time and the thinking has been done for me.

I'm thankful I got the opportunity to do all the physical activities I did. Helped that my siblings were all big athletes and most kids in my neighborhood were too.

Kids today don't have that, and I feel for them.

Re: Physical fitness and risk of mental disorders in children and adolescents

#13

Post by tomcar288 »

delichon wrote: post #2

The role of brain health in mental illness is commonly discounted, but so consistently found in studies. I got roasted here for recommending psychiatrist Mary Edes' book on improving mental health with dietary changes, but the benefits of the approach are clear. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/01/27/1227062... I've resolved most of my diabetes type 2 with diet, and nobody should be surprised that this…

This! Absolutely. It's as if people think the brain isn't even an organ in the body and that it's completely disconnected from the rest of the body. After doing a ton of research and listening to many talks on metabolic syndrome and all the diseases caused by our modern diets, I've realized just how impactful diet can be on the body, the brain and the many modern diseases caused by our modern diets and lifestyle.

Re: Physical fitness and risk of mental disorders in children and adolescents

#14

Post by jimbob45 »

zzzeek wrote: post #5

less anxious / depressed kids get to do more sports in the first place. kids without "the right attitude" or a lack of innate ability are routinely excluded from sports, as im sure many of us here have experienced.

kids without "the right attitude" or a lack of innate ability are routinely excluded from sports, as im sure many of us here have experienced.

You're projecting. Most coaches just want kids to work hard and have fun. They really couldn't care less about winning. If you need absolute proof, there are many sports such as swimming and track where every additional kid adds points to your team total such that having more kids is always more advantageous to the coach(es).

Re: Physical fitness and risk of mental disorders in children and adolescents

#15

Post by tomcar288 »

DangitBobby wrote: post #4

For those of you with better understanding, did they establish causality? Does exercise fend of mental disorders, or do people with mental disorders find it harder to exercise consistently? The first could be a novel finding, but the latter seems obvious. Forcing yourself to exercise routinely requires discipline, and many mental disorders carry along with them executive dysfunction that make discipline harder to com…

Experientally, my brother with ADHD and severe depression, has told me many times, that he notices a huge difference in the severity of his depression based on how much he exercises.

Re: Physical fitness and risk of mental disorders in children and adolescents

#16

Post by [deleted] »

DangitBobby wrote: post #4

For those of you with better understanding, did they establish causality? Does exercise fend of mental disorders, or do people with mental disorders find it harder to exercise consistently? The first could be a novel finding, but the latter seems obvious. Forcing yourself to exercise routinely requires discipline, and many mental disorders carry along with them executive dysfunction that make discipline harder to com…

[deleted]

Re: Physical fitness and risk of mental disorders in children and adolescents

#17

Post by loeg »

DangitBobby wrote: post #4

For those of you with better understanding, did they establish causality? Does exercise fend of mental disorders, or do people with mental disorders find it harder to exercise consistently? The first could be a novel finding, but the latter seems obvious. Forcing yourself to exercise routinely requires discipline, and many mental disorders carry along with them executive dysfunction that make discipline harder to com…

This is a cohort study. They show association, not causality.

Re: Physical fitness and risk of mental disorders in children and adolescents

#18

Post by krunck »

zzzeek wrote: post #5

less anxious / depressed kids get to do more sports in the first place. kids without "the right attitude" or a lack of innate ability are routinely excluded from sports, as im sure many of us here have experienced.

I wasn't the most well balanced kid. I'm sure I would be "diagnosed" if I were an adolescent today. I was in the outsider caste in high school. I hated sports. But I loved doing physical activities outside: hiking, swimming, camping, cross-country skiing. I credit this activity with my failure to develop any severe mental illness. That and the fact that the portable 24x7 entertainment and self-loathing generators had not been invented yet.

Re: Physical fitness and risk of mental disorders in children and adolescents

#19

Post by SamoyedFurFluff »

hollywood_court wrote: post #10
zzzeek wrote: post #5

less anxious / depressed kids get to do more sports in the first place. kids without "the right attitude" or a lack of innate ability are routinely excluded from sports, as im sure many of us here have experienced.

Perhaps that can be resolved by getting the children started in sports while they are very young? But you may be right because I have experienced this while watching the other kids in my son's sports classes. My son started going to a gym called "Kidstrong" when he was 3.5 years old. It was basically a bunch of kids following instructions and performing basic calisthenic exercises and beginner gymnastics moves. Howev…

The risk isn’t anxious kids with involved parents that can gently push them into activity. It’s kids with not enough food at home and no one at home to give a shit bout them.

Re: Physical fitness and risk of mental disorders in children and adolescents

#20

Post by eYrKEC2 »

zzzeek wrote: post #5

less anxious / depressed kids get to do more sports in the first place. kids without "the right attitude" or a lack of innate ability are routinely excluded from sports, as im sure many of us here have experienced.

I coach multiple rec-level soccer teams in my kids ages. I am ruthlessly fair about play time on the field. You may not get to play center midfielder, but you will get the same amount of time.

Some of my children are naturally good at soccer and some aren't. Doesn't matter. I don't play favorites with them or any other kids on my soccer team.

I started coaching soccer for my kids, because one of my more naturally-gifted children had a horrible coach. Even though she played my kid more, I hated her favoritism and I hated her lack of sportsmanship.

That's it -- I started coaching.

My team is probably never going to win the league, because the best players _still_ get sub'd out on my teams. I don't care.

Be the change you wish to see.

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