Regular exercise is associated with better mental health in adults

A study led by Christopher Knoester, a professor of sociology at Ohio State University, found that adults who regularly played organized sports as children had fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression than those who never played sports or dropped out.

A study published today (June 26, 2024) in the Sociology of Sport Journal found that many people quit sports when they were young because they didn’t have fun or didn’t think they were good enough. The findings point to ways to improve youth sports, said lead author Laura Upenieks, an associate professor of sociology at Baylor University.

"Our findings on the reasons why children drop out of organised sport show that the current environment is less than ideal for everyone and that barriers to participation require more attention," Upenieks said.

The study used data from the National Survey of Sports and Society, conducted in 2018 and 2019 by Ohio State University. It included 3,931 adults from across the country who answered questions about their childhood sports participation and current symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Results showed that 35% of participants had never played organized sports, 41% had participated but quit, and 24% had participated continuously until age 18.

Those who played organized sports consistently as children reported lower levels of depression and anxiety than others. Those who quit had worse mental health scores, while those who never played fell in the middle.

Knoster emphasized that most participants did not have clinical levels of depression or anxiety, and the differences between the three groups were relatively modest. But the differences still mattered.

The most common reason for not playing sports was "not having fun," cited by nearly half of respondents (45%). The second most common reason was feeling like they weren't good at the game (31%). Other reasons included wanting to focus on school (16%), health issues or injuries (16%), not being able to afford the sport (16%), problems with team members (15%), and interest in other clubs and activities (14%).

Interestingly, 8% said they quit sports because of abuse from a coach.

While not exercising was associated with worse mental health, "not all reasons for not exercising had the same consequences," Upenieks said.

Interpersonal reasons for withdrawal—including lack of fun, conflicts with teammates, and abuse by coaches—were associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety in adulthood. Those who could not afford sports and equipment also showed worse mental health scores.

But those who gave up sports to focus on school showed lower levels of depression, the study found.

"Prioritizing education predicts better mental health in adulthood," Knoster said.

Many previous studies have focused on the impact of exercise — or lack thereof — on adulthood. But this study is one of the first to look at what happens when young people drop out of sports, Knoster said, and shows that persistence in sports is an important issue.

"Unfortunately, it's not a simple story about whether sports are good for kids," he said. "It's complicated by whether kids continue to play sports and why they do or stop."

It's easy to see why sport might be beneficial for those who continue it into adulthood, Upenieks said.

"The longer young people are exposed to a positive and supportive sporting environment, the more likely they are to develop habits that promote long-term mental wellbeing, such as a commitment to regular exercise and the ability to work as part of a team," she said.

The fact that so many children drop out of sports shows that organized sports often do not provide a positive environment. But there are steps adults can take to improve that environment.

First, sport must be safe for children. The fact that 8% said they had been abused by coaches was particularly worrying, the researchers noted.

And the finding that nearly half of kids quit sports because they weren't having fun, and about a third because they felt they weren't good enough, should also be a warning sign, Knoster said.

"We need to improve youth sports so that it maintains a positive experience for everyone and makes it more enjoyable," he said.

While winning is part of sport, perhaps adults place too much emphasis on this aspect and ruin the experience for many young people.

"Most kids want to have fun with their friends, supporting and encouraging each other," Upenieks said. "It doesn't have to be all serious."

Knoster added: "Our findings suggest that depriving children of fun and making them feel like they are not good enough can have cascading effects in terms of lower self-esteem and confidence that can carry into adulthood."