ASICS Reveals New Study Linking Teen Exercise to Adult Wellbeing

Krissy Vann | Host, All Things Fitness and Wellness

ASICS has announced the findings of its second Global State of Mind Study, which reinforces the positive correlation between regular physical activity and mental health. The study, involving over 26,000 participants from 22 countries, provides compelling evidence that exercise not only boosts mental wellbeing in the immediate term but also has long-lasting benefits if sustained from adolescence into adulthood.

Key findings from the research show that individuals who maintain an active lifestyle report a significantly higher State of Mind score—67 out of 100—compared to those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, who averaged a score of 54 out of 100. This data underscores the profound impact of physical activity on mental health across the global population.

The study also explores the importance of staying active during teenage years, revealing that exercise habits formed between the ages of 15 and 17 are pivotal. Participants who were physically active through their adolescence not only continued to be more active into adulthood but also reported higher State of Mind scores, illustrating the critical nature of this developmental period for establishing lifelong health and wellness practices.

Highlighting the long-term effects, the research found that adults who regularly exercised during their teenage years had higher State of Mind scores (64/100) compared to their less active counterparts (61/100). Conversely, those who ceased exercising before turning 15 exhibited the lowest levels of physical activity in adulthood and significantly lower mental wellbeing scores.

Moreover, the study identifies a worrying trend of declining physical activity among younger generations, with only 19% of Gen Z reporting daily activity in their childhoods, compared to 57% of the Silent Generation. This exercise gap suggests potential challenges for future mental health, as younger people are showing the lowest State of Mind scores among the generations studied.

Professor Brendon Stubbs from King’s College London expressed concern over the findings, emphasizing the crucial impact of physical activity on wellbeing, "It is worrying to see this decline in activity levels from younger respondents at such a critical age, particularly as the study uncovered an association with lower wellbeing in adulthood".

In response to the findings, Tomoko Koda, Managing Executive Officer for ASICS, reaffirmed the company's founding philosophy, "ASICS was founded on the belief that sport and exercise benefit not only the body but also the mind... The results of our second global State of Mind Study show how important it is that young people stay active and the impact this can have on their minds for years to come."

ASICS' commitment to promoting mental and physical health through exercise is more crucial than ever, as this comprehensive study lays bare the essential role of physical activity in fostering a sound mind in a sound body, from youth through adulthood.

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