Physical Activity Interventions for Mental Health in Youth
Summary
Physical activity interventions have emerged as a versatile strategy to support mental health in children and adolescents. A diverse range of settings—from school-based programmes to clinical add-on therapies—has been investigated to determine how structured movement influences mood, cognitive function and psychosocial well-being. Aerobic activities, resistance training and combined physical-cognitive exercises have all been associated with reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety, enhancements in self-esteem and resilience, and improvements in executive functions such as inhibitory control and working memory. Effects have been observed in general populations, at-risk groups (for example, adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) and clinical inpatient cohorts. Interventions typically vary in duration from six weeks to six months, with session frequency ranging from two to five times per week. Mechanistically, physical activity is thought to modulate neurotrophic factors, promote neuroplasticity and regulate stress-responsive systems. Globally, these findings support integration of purposeful physical activity into educational curricula, community youth work and healthcare pathways to foster long-term mental well-being and cognitive development.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Recent studies have shown that combinations of physical and intellectual tasks can yield superior gains in both fitness and executive function among young schoolchildren. In a 16-week intervention, primary school pupils undertaking daily aerobic exercise alongside structured cognitive challenges exhibited greater improvements in cardiopulmonary fitness, muscle strength and measures of inhibitory control and working memory than peers engaged in single-domain activities. Salivary biomarkers of growth factors were also elevated in the combined training group, suggesting synergistic physiological effects. This work emphasises the potential of integrated movement-and-mind programmes to enhance both physical and mental capacities early in life.
Physical Activity Interventions for Mental Health in Youth publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in physical activity interventions for mental health in youth across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Aerobic exercise: Sustained rhythmic physical activity that elevates heart rate and promotes cardiovascular endurance.
Executive function: Cognitive processes including inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility that regulate goal-directed behaviour.
Randomised controlled trial: Research design in which participants are randomly allocated to intervention or control groups to assess causal effects.
Meta-analysis: Statistical technique combining results from multiple studies to estimate overall intervention effects.
Resilience: Capacity to adapt positively in the face of stress or adversity, often assessed via self-report or behavioural measures.
References
- The effects of physical activity on mental health in adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (2025).
- Research on the effect of different aerobic activity on physical fitness and executive function in primary school students. Scientific Reports (2024).
- How Does Physical Activity Intervention Improve Self-Esteem and Self-Concept in Children and Adolescents? Evidence from a Meta-Analysis. PLOS ONE (2015).
- School-related physical activity interventions and mental health among children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine - Open (2020).
- Systematic Review of Meta-Analyses: Exercise Effects on Depression in Children and Adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry (2020).
- Impact of physical exercise on depression and anxiety in adolescent inpatients: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders (2022).
- The Effect of Resistance Training Interventions on ‘The Self’ in Youth: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine - Open (2019).
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