SPORTS for MENTAL HEALTH

Engaging in sports, physical, and recreational activities is a proven way to enhance mental and emotional well-being. Regular exercise can reduce anxiety and depression, boost mood, improve cognitive functions, and foster social connections. These activities also help manage stress, improve self-esteem, and promote resilience, contributing to overall emotional health.

ADULTS

physical activity contributes to prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes and reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, enhances brain health, and can improve overall well-being.

CHILDREN & ADOLESCENTS

physical activity promotes bone health, encourages healthy growth and development of muscle, and improves motor and cognitive development.

Depression continues to be the leading mental health disorder, and is twice as frequent in women as in men. 10% to 15% of women in industrialized countries and 20% to 40% of women in developing countries suffer from depression during pregnancy or the postpartum period.

Women & Mental Health

PAHO

About 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who have just given birth experience depression globally. In developing countries, the prevalence is almost 50% higher.

WHO

Women are 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with a depressive disorder than men. Depression is especially prevalent in older women, regardless of income level.

WHO

More than half the world’s population are currently in work and 15% of working-age adults live with a mental disorder. Without effective support, mental disorders and other mental health conditions can affect a person’s confidence and identity at work, capacity to work productively, absences and the ease with which to retain or gain work.

Mental Health @ Work

WHO

$ 1 Trillion

Globally, workdays are lost annually due to depression and anxiety.

$ 12 Billion

Costing global economy, annually, predominantly from reduced productivity.

31 %

Adults

80 %

Adolescents

do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity.

Physical Inactivity Cost Globally

The global estimate of the cost of physical inactivity to public health care systems between 2020 and 2030 is about US$ 300 billion (approximately US$ 27 billion per year) if levels of physical inactivity are not reduced.

WHO

CHILDREN and ADOLESCENT

WHO

ATLEAST

60 MINUTES / DAY

Children and adolescents should do at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous-intensity, mostly aerobic, physical activity, across the week.

3 DAYS / WEEK​

Vigorous-intensity aerobic activities, as well as those that strengthen muscle and bone, should be incorporated at least 3 days a week.

LIMIT

THE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT BEING SEDENTARY,
particularly recreational screen time.

Children and adolescents should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary, particularly the amount of recreational screen time.

Mental health of adolescents

Adolescence is a crucial period for developing social and emotional habits important for mental well-being. These include adopting healthy sleep patterns; exercising regularly; developing coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; and learning to manage emotions. Protective and supportive environments in the family, at school and in the wider community are important.

WHO

Emotional Disorders

It is estimated that 4.4% of 10–14-year-olds and 5.5% of 15–19-year-olds experience an anxiety disorder (1). Depression is estimated to occur among 1.4% of adolescents aged 10–14 years, and 3.5% of 15–19-year-olds (1). Depression and anxiety share some of the same symptoms, including rapid and unexpected changes in mood.

Emotional Disorders

Anxiety and depressive disorders can profoundly affect school attendance and schoolwork. Social withdrawal can exacerbate isolation and loneliness. Depression can lead to suicide.

Suicide and Self-harm

Suicide is the third leading cause of death in older adolescents and young adults (15–29 years) (2). Risk factors for suicide are multifaceted, and include harmful use of alcohol, abuse in childhood, stigma against help-seeking, barriers to accessing care and access to means of suicide. 

Suicide and Self-harm

Digital media, like any other media, can play a significant role in either enhancing or weakening suicide prevention efforts.

Behavioural disorders

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), characterized by difficulty paying attention and/or excessive activity and acting without regard to consequences, occurs among 2.9% of 10–14-year-olds and 2.2% of 15–19-year-olds (1). Conduct disorder (involving symptoms of destructive or challenging behaviour) occurs among 3.5% of 10–14-year-olds and 1.9% of 15–19-year-olds (1).

Behavioural disorders

Behavioural disorders are more common among younger adolescents than older adolescents.

Behavioural disorders  can affect adolescents’ education and increases the risk of criminal behaviour.

Risk-taking Behaviors

In 2019, the prevalence of alcohol use among 15–19-year-olds was high worldwide (22%) with very few gender differences, and showing an increase in consumption in some regions.

In 2022, the prevalence of cannabis use among adolescents was higher than that of adults globally (5.5 per cent compared with 4.4 per cent, respectively)

Risk-taking Behaviors

Many risk-taking behaviours for health, such as substance use or sexual risk-taking, start during adolescence. Risk-taking behaviours can be an unhelpful strategy to cope with emotional difficulties and can severely impact an adolescent’s mental and physical well-being.

ADULTS

In adults, physical activity confers benefits for the following health outcomes:

improved all-cause mortality.

Cardiovascular disease mortality.

hypertension.

site-specific cancers.

type-2 diabetes.

mental health (reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression); cognitive health.

sleep; measures of adiposity may also improve.

WHO

The impact of sports participation on mental health and social outcomes in adults

Adults and Group Sports

  • participation in sport of any form (team or individual) is beneficial for improving mental health and social outcomes amongst adults.
  • Team sports, however, may provide more potent and additional benefits for mental and social outcomes across adulthood.
U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine (NIH/NLM)

150– 300 MINUTES

Adults should do at least 150– 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity; or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week, for substantial health benefits.

TWO DAYS A WEEK

Adults should also do muscle strengthening activities at moderate or greater intensity that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these provide additional health benefits.

150– 300 MINUTES

Adults may increase moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to more than 300 minutes; or do more than 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week for additional health benefits.

Key Facts

Regular physical activity provides significant physical and mental health benefits. 

In adults, physical activity contributes to prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes and reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, enhances brain health, and can improve overall well-being.

In children and adolescents, physical activity promotes bone health, encourages healthy growth and development of muscle, and improves motor and cognitive development.

31% of adults and 80% of adolescents do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity.

The global target set to reduce levels of physical inactivity in adults and adolescents is a 10% relative reduction by 2025 and 15% by 2030, from the 2010 baseline.

The global estimate of the cost of physical inactivity to public health care systems between 2020 and 2030 is about US$ 300 billion (approximately US$ 27 billion per year) if levels of physical inactivity are not reduced.

Levels of physical inactivity globally

WHO regularly monitors trends in physical inactivity. A recent study (1) found that nearly one third (31%) of the world’s adult population, 1.8 billion adults, are physically inactive. That is, they do not meet the global recommendations of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. This is an increase of 5 percentage points between 2010 and 2022. If this trend continues, the proportion of adults not meeting recommended levels of physical activity is projected to rise to 35% by 2030.

Globally, there are notable age and gender differences in levels of physical inactivity. *Women are less active than men by an average of 5 percentage points. This has not changed since 2000. *After 60 years of age physical inactivity levels increase in both men and women. *81% of adolescents (aged 11–17 years) were physically inactive (2). *Adolescent girls were less active than adolescent boys, with 85% vs. 78%, not meeting WHO guidelines.

Many different factors can determine how active people are and the overall levels of physical activity in different population groups. These factors can be related to the individual or wider social, cultural, environmental and economic determinants that influence access and opportunities to be active in safe and enjoyable ways.

WHO