A new study has been published in the Pediatric Research journal which has said that physical activities like structured sports have the potential to be enriching, both physically and mentally. The study has told the parents that kids who engage in an organized physical activity at a young age are less likely to have emotional difficulties later in life. Apart from keeping children being sedentary, physical activities like structured sports have all the potential to be enriching mental as well as physical wellness.
Frederic N. Briere, the study author and professor at the University of Montreal in Canada said, “The elementary school years are a critical time in child development, and every parent wants to raise a well-adjusted child”. To conduct the study, the researchers took data from a group of children born in 1997 or 1998. It was examined if the consistent participation in the organized sport from ages 6 to 10 would minimize risks associated with emotional distress, shyness, anxiety and social withdrawal at the age of 12.
Briere added, “The results revealed that children who participated consistently from ages six to 10 showed fewer instances of those factors at age 12 than their counterparts who did not engage in physical activity in a consistent way”. The author added that getting kids actively involved in the organized sports helped to promote global development and such an involvement appears to be good on a socio-emotional level and not just because of the physical benefits.
According to the researcher, children being emotionally distressed at the juncture between elementary and high school was a priceless benefit for children as they are about to enter a much larger universe as they will be facing bigger academic challenges. Involvement of kids in physical activities has always been essential for their health and new researches have given even more evidence. Kids often face mental challenges and organized physical activities can help them to deal with such stress.
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