A US study found that adolescents who walked more reported fewer mental health problems a year later, although the observational research cannot prove that walking caused the benefit.
A new study led by King’s College London suggests that, for young teenagers, more daily walking is linked with better mental health a year later, with the strongest results seen among those who took at least 12,000 steps a day. The research, published in JAMA Network Open, followed 5,515 adolescents in the US and found that each higher step band was associated with fewer reported mental health problems, with no clear point at which the benefit levelled off.
The study used Fitbit trackers to record the participants’ usual activity over three weeks, when the teenagers were around 12 years old on average. A year later, they filled in questionnaires about worry, low mood, behaviour and attention. The researchers also examined brain scans taken around the same period as the step tracking and adjusted for factors including family income, parental education, neighbourhood deprivation, green space and body weight. Even so, the authors stressed that the work was observational, which means it cannot show that walking itself caused the mental health differences.
The findings fit with official guidance that does not set a step count target for children, but instead recommends that those aged 5 to 18 average at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. The NHS and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention both say that this should include activities such as brisk walking, cycling or running, along with muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening exercise on at least three days a week. In that context, the new research suggests that everyday movement may matter even when it is not structured sport.
The brain findings were modest but intriguing. More active teenagers had slightly thicker tissue in two areas of the outer brain: the paracentral region, which helps control the legs, and the rostral anterior cingulate, which is involved in dealing with conflicting information. According to the study, the difference in the paracentral region accounted for only a small part of the link between steps and mental health. The researchers found no meaningful connection between step counts and later school grades, which they suggested may depend more on academic support, harder exercise and other influences than on ordinary walking.
The study also had important limits. Because the design was observational, it is possible that young people who already felt better simply moved more. The mental health data were self-reported, the sample came only from the US, and the adolescents included were somewhat better off than average. Step counters also miss some activity in organised sport and free play. Even so, the practical message for parents is straightforward: small increases in daily movement, whether through walking to school, dog walking or a kickabout in the park, may be a realistic place to start.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
