BACKGROUND Mental illness is a worldwide public health concern. In the UK, there is a high prevalence of mental illness and poor mental wellbeing among young people. The aim of this study was to investigate whether physical activity is associated with better mental wellbeing and reduced symptoms of mental health disorder in adolescents. METHODS A cohort of 928 12-13 year olds (Year 8) from six secondary schools in England, who had participated in the AHEAD trial, 'Activity and Healthy Eating in Adolescence', were followed up three years later (when 15-16 years old, Year 11). At baseline, physical activity was measured using accelerometers. At follow-up, mental wellbeing was measured using the 'Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale' (WEMWBS) and symptoms of mental health disorder using the 'Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire' (SDQ). Multivariable linear regression analyses were used to investigate associations between physical activity and both mental wellbeing and symptoms of mental health disorder. RESULTS 794 (86%) of the eligible 928 young people provided valid accelerometer data at baseline. 668 (72%) provided complete mental wellbeing data and 673 (73%) provided complete symptoms of mental health disorder data at follow-up. The multivariable analyses showed no evidence of an association between physical activity volume (counts per minute (cpm)) or intensity (Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA)) and mental wellbeing (WEMWBS overall score) or overall symptoms of mental health disorder (SDQ Total Difficulties Score). However, higher levels of physical activity volume at age 12-13 years were associated with lower scores on the emotional problems subscale of the SDQ at age 15-16 years. CONCLUSIONS This cohort study found no strong evidence that physical activity is associated with better mental wellbeing or reduced symptoms of mental health disorder in adolescents. However, a protective association between physical activity and the emotional problems subscale of the SDQ was found. This suggests that physical activity has the potential to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescents. Future cohort study designs should allow for repeated measures to fully explore the temporal nature of any relationship.

中文翻译：

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青少年身体活动、心理健康和心理健康障碍症状之间的关系：一项队列研究。

背景技术精神疾病是世界范围内的公共卫生问题。在英国，年轻人的精神疾病患病率很高，而且心理健康状况不佳。本研究的目的是调查体育活动是否与青少年更好的心理健康和减少心理健康障碍症状相关。方法 来自英格兰六所中学的 928 名 12-13 岁学生（8 年级）参加了 AHEAD 试验“青春期的活动和健康饮食”，并在三年后进行了随访（当 15-16 岁）老，11 年级）。在基线时，使用加速度计测量身体活动。随访时，使用“华威爱丁堡心理健康量表”（WEMWBS）测量心理健康状况，并使用“优势和困难问卷”（SDQ）测量心理健康障碍症状。多变量线性回归分析用于研究身体活动与心理健康和心理健康障碍症状之间的关联。结果 928 名符合条件的年轻人中，有 794 名 (86%) 提供了有效的基线加速度计数据。668 人（72%）在随访时提供了完整的心理健康数据，673 人（73%）提供了完整的精神健康障碍症状数据。多变量分析显示，没有证据表明体力活动量（每分钟计数 (cpm)）或强度（中度至剧烈体力活动 (MVPA)）与心理健康（WEMWBS 总分）或精神健康障碍的总体症状 (SDQ) 之间存在关联总难度分数）。然而，12-13 岁时体力活动量的较高水平与 15-16 岁时 SDQ 情绪问题分量表的较低分数相关。结论 这项队列研究没有发现强有力的证据表明体力活动与青少年更好的心理健康或减少心理健康障碍症状相关。然而，我们发现体力活动与 SDQ 情绪问题分量表之间存在保护性关联。这表明体力活动有可能减轻青少年的抑郁和焦虑症状。未来的队列研究设计应该允许重复测量，以充分探索任何关系的时间性质。