Well, this is... Not shocking at all
In today’s episode of “Science Spends Decades to State the Obvious,” researchers from Adelaide University and the University of Tasmania are here to tell us that fit kids tend to become less depressed adults. Groundbreaking. I’ll give you a moment to recover from the shock. 🙄
According to this brand new research, which spanned more than 30 years, they discovered that children with better cardiorespiratory fitness have a lower risk of developing depression later in life. They followed over 1000 Australian kids from 1985, when they were 7-15 years old, and checked back in with them as adults. The verdict? The kids who could handle a 1.6-kilometre run were mentally healthier decades down the line.
I’ve been screaming this into the void for years. Your body and mind aren't separate entities you can neglect and favor at will. They’re a package deal. It’s almost like having a healthy, functioning cardiovascular system that pumps oxygen to your brain has a positive effect on it. Who knew?
It’s the engine, not just the chassis
Now, here’s where it gets interesting, so try to keep up. The study found that cardiorespiratory fitness had a “clear and consistent link with future mental health.” But you know what didn’t?
- •Muscular strength: associations were “weaker and less consistent.”
- •Muscle power: showed “no clear association.”
So, for all you guys who just want to look good in a t-shirt and spend your entire gym time on bicep curls, listen closely. Being the strongest kid in the playground didn’t move the needle on future mental health nearly as much as being the kid who could actually run without collapsing. Building a powerful engine is just as important-if not more so, according to this-than building a big frame. A lesson many of you could stand to learn. Maybe it's time to stop skipping cardio day, huh?
And get this - the link was apparently “stronger among females.” Considering depression is already about 1.5 times more common in women, this isn't just a fun fact. It’s a goddamn call to action. We need to be encouraging girls to run, swim, cycle, and play sports with the same intensity we do for boys. Their future mental well-being might depend on it even more.
Okay, so now what?
Professor Grant Tomkinson, one of the researchers, said, “fitness is something we can change, it may be an important target for improving long-term mental health.” Thanks for the profound insight, Professor. It’s almost as if that’s the entire point of what I do here. Fitness is a choice you make every single day. 💪
This study started in 1985. Think about that. These were kids growing up without smartphones, TikTok, or a million other reasons to stay glued to a couch. If the link was clear then, imagine how much more critical it is now. We’re raising a generation that thinks a 1.6-kilometre run is some kind of Herculean feat.
Don’t sit there and blame your parents because they didn’t make you run laps in the 80s. You're an adult now. The study shows a foundation in childhood helps, but Tomkinson's point stands: fitness is something we can change. You have the power to build that foundation for yourself right now. You can't change your childhood, but you can absolutely change your future.
So, my question to you is simple - what are you going to do about it?
