FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Whether it’s shooting hoops or scoring a goal, staying active is not just good for your body; it’s also good for your mind.
“It’s about keeping them busy and keeping them busy in the right way,” said Dr. Mitul Patel, a Pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente in Fresno.
A study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that engaging in physical activity, especially being part of a team, can help fend off childhood mental illness.
“It decreases their stress, their risk of anxiety and it decreases their risk of depression,” said Dr. Patel.
The study looked at more than 16,000 children from Sweden and found that 15% of them were diagnosed with at least one mental health disorder before the age of 18. But by staying active, there was a 12% lower risk of mental illness.
“Play is actually the natural medium through which children develop skills. Not just social skills, but it also helps with brain development,” said Dr. Jason Christopherson of Ascend Behavioral Health in Northeast Fresno. “It helps kind of, takes some of these ideas that may be more abstract in a classroom and makes them very real.”
Dr. Christopherson tells Action News that exposing kids to physical fitness and sports at a younger age can help them better understand their emotions in the future.
“When you can intervene and help build mental health, emotional health and interpersonal-social health earlier in life, then you capitalize on those benefits,” said Dr. Christopherson.
With kids getting out of school and summer vacation around the corner, it’s vital to keep them active and engaged. Whether it’s with friends or family, encourage children to get up and get out to benefit full body health.
“It’s really important for parents, as busy as we are, to set aside time and get them up for breakfast and spend a little bit of time with them,” said Dr. Patel. “When you get home from work, now that it’s daylight longer, get outside. Even if it’s just for a walk, even if it’s just riding the bicycle.”
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