Childhood Aerobic Fitness Linked to Lower Adult Depression Risk, Study Finds
New research from Australia indicates that higher levels of aerobic fitness during childhood may significantly reduce the risk of developing depression in adulthood. The study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, analyzed data from over 1,000 individuals who were initially surveyed in 1985 and followed for more than three decades. Researchers assessed participants' fitness levels in childhood through physical tests, including a 1.6-kilometer run to measure cardiorespiratory fitness. The findings revealed that young people with faster running speeds, indicative of superior cardiovascular fitness, had a 15% lower relative risk of developing depression later in life. The average run time was approximately 8 minutes and 27 seconds, and running about 1 minute and 15 seconds faster than this average was associated with the reduced risk. While the protective effect was strongest five to ten years after the initial tests, it persisted throughout the entire 34-year follow-up period. The study also note...
