The impact of sport on a child’s well-being

Sport has always been known for its physical benefits. In recent years, research has also found that sport participation can also positively affect your mental health.
Sport can benefit children in many of the same ways that they benefit adults. The biggest difference is that when children start participating in sports at a young age, they are far more likely to stay active as they grow older. Studies have shown that sport has psychological benefits for children and adolescents and teaches them important life skills.
Playing sport helps children learn to control their emotions and channel negative feelings in a positive way. It also helps children to develop patience and understand that it can take a lot of practice to improve both their physical skills and what they do in school.
The argument for maintaining an active lifestyle, particularly for children, is a strong one. According to its benefits in disease prevention, higher life expectancy, improve mood, decrease the chance of depression and anxiety, and better quality of life. However, the pandemic and the restrictions that has brought with it has highlighted several additional underlying benefits that can improve quality of life.
In this context, mental health experts at Qatar Foundation’s Sidra Medicine have discussed how physical activity can benefit mental and emotional health.

According to Dr Ahsan Nazeer, Division Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, children who regularly participate in physical activity are more likely to score higher on health-related quality of life surveys. not only in physical fitness, but also in mental and social wellbeing.
“Research has clearly shown the positive effects of physical activity in preventing or reducing specific disorders like anxiety and depression in children and youth. Sports and exercise can significantly reduce psychological distress and emotional disturbance while improving body image, self-esteem, self-worth, and self-confidence in youth,” says Dr Nazeer.
“It is also a well-known fact that physical activity helps adolescents with emotion regulation and self-discipline while encouraging the development of delayed gratification and building resiliency and optimism. All of these qualities can protect against risky behaviours, such as missing school.”
Unfortunately, while the benefits of exercise are well-known, most children fail to meet the daily recommendation of 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per day, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. And this lack of activity contributes to more than 2mn avoidable deaths per year worldwide.
“Numerous studies have looked at the relationship between the lack of physical activity and mental health disorders. In one study, those who reported engaging in regular exercise were less likely to meet the criteria of mood and anxiety disorders,” Dr Nazeer adds.

Dr Mohamed Albreiki, a Fellow in Child and Adolescent Mental Health at Sidra Medicine, said that some of the reasons why children exhibit increasingly sedentary behaviours include highly competitive and demanding educational environments and constant access to technology and entertainment indoors.
However, even for those children and parents who engage in regular physical activity, the Covid-19 pandemic has posed an all-new challenge, with lockdowns, social distancing, and protective gear regulations, children are faced with limited options to exercise.
Dr Albreiki suggested several strategies that can be implemented to counteract the impact of Covid-19 on young people's physical activities. “Parents should find ways to interact constructively with children by planning their tasks, involving them in creative activities, engaging in indoor play, and trying to create a sense of normalcy in their lives.
“Some activities that can be done at home include exercises like jumping jacks, standing squats, push-ups, and sit-ups that help to build core strength. And for children who are easily bored, the use of home exercise equipment such as treadmills, elliptical machines, and stationary bikes may be helpful,” he added.
Experts also say that culture has a profound effect on shaping the attitudes of communities towards physical activity. In some cultures, participating in sport is more acceptable for men, while in others there is a stronger emphasis on academic success. But ultimately science demonstrates that the link between regular physical activity and mental and emotional well-being is undeniable.
Qatar celebrates its National Sport Day every year on the second Tuesday of February, to promote sports and to educate the local population on ways to reduce health risks associated with an inactive lifestyle, such as coronary heart disease and diabetes.
On the occasion of Qatar National Sport Day on Tuesday, February 8, Qatar Foundation has organised many fun and engaging sport activities at Education City (EC) from 8am till 5pm. The activities are free of charge and open to the public upon prior registration.
To view the schedule for organised National Sport Day activities at Qatar Foundation, and to pre-register for them, visit www.qf.org.qa/nsd2022 or download the Education City app through the Apple App Store for iPhone or the Google Play Store for Android phones. The Education City app also contains information about Qatar Foundation’s year-round sporting classes, programmes, and facilities which are open for the public to use and enjoy, including on National Sport Day.