The link between mental health and physical activity  

Physical activity is important for our overall health and can help to reduce our risk of developing certain diseases. In a recent study using BCS70, researchers found that people who experienced anxiety or depression in their 20s were less likely to exercise regularly in later life. 

What we asked you 

When you were 26, we asked you questions about psychological distress including symptoms of depression and anxiety. Throughout your 30s and 40s, we asked you about physical activity during your leisure time. The researchers used this information to classify you into three different groups: those who consistently exercised regularly, those who exercised more as you aged and those who exercised less.   

They then explored whether there was a link between people’s mental health in their 20s and exercise patterns later on in life.  

Comparable information had been collected from participants in a similar study born 12 years earlier in 1958, so the researchers were able to look at whether the relationship between mental health and exercise was consistent across generations.   

What the research found 

Just over 12% of your generation reported symptoms of depression and anxiety at age 26 compared to 6% of those born in 1958 at age 23. The researchers found that among your generation and those born in 1958, those who had experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression were less likely to exercise regularly throughout later life.   

For your generation, those of you who had experienced anxiety or depression in your 20s were also less likely to start exercising more in later life, but this was not the case for those born in 1958. 

The researchers suggest that poor mental health can be a barrier to keeping active. For example, symptoms of depression, such as low energy and lack of interest in life, may make it more difficult for people to be physically active. 

Why this research matters 

Being active has many benefits for people’s physical and mental health, so it’s important to understand why some people may struggle to do regular exercise. 

Anxiety and depression can often begin during late adolescence and early adulthood. The researchers recommend focusing on early detection and treatment of mental health difficulties at this age, to help more people go on to live healthy, active lives. 

Read the full research paper 

Is there an association between psychological distress during early adulthood and later trajectories of physical activity during adulthood? Longitudinal data from two cohort studies by André Oliveira Werneck, Raphael Henrique de Oliveira Araujo, Danilo Rodrigues Silva and Brendon Stubbs was published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health in October 2024.