Physical Fitness and Risk of Mental Disorders in Children and Adolescents
Findings This nationwide cohort study, encompassing 1.9 million participants in Taiwan, revealed that children and adolescents in better-performing fitness quantiles exhibited lower cumulative incidences of anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Notably, enhanced cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular endurance, and muscular power were independently associated with reduced mental disorder incidences in this demographic, even after accounting for confounding factors.
Meaning These findings suggest the potential of cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness as protective factors in mitigating the onset of mental disorders among children and adolescents.
Importance With the rising prevalence of mental disorders among children and adolescents, identifying modifiable associations is critical.
Design, Setting, and Participants This nationwide cohort study used data from the Taiwan National Student Fitness Tests and National Health Insurance Research Databases from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2019. Participants were divided into 2 cohorts targeting anxiety and depression (1 996 633 participants) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; 1 920 596 participants). Participants were aged 10 to 11 years at study entry and followed up for at least 3 years, had a nearly equal gender distribution, and an average follow-up of 6 years. Data were analyzed from October 2022 to February 2024.
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