Sport England reveal new report on physical activity and children’s mental health

Sport England has published a new report showing there’s “strong and consistent evidence that sport and physical activity interventions had positive effects on the diagnosed mental health problems of children and young people”. 

Edge Hill University, commissioned by Sport England to collate and review research from 143 studies, put together the report.

Before this, there had been little documented evidence on the role of sport and physical activity in the treatment of diagnosed mental health conditions in children and young people,

Sport England released the report last week (October 10, 2024) to coincide with World Mental Health Day.

To mark this day, they also held a parliamentary roundtable, sponsored by Dr Beccy Cooper MP for Worthing West, to discuss how we can embed physical activity in NHS Talking Therapies.

On the Sport England website, you can read a blog by Dr Cooper on the importance of physical activity to the nation’s mental health and a blog from Mind on how our sector can be part of the solution to a growing crisis.

You can read the report here or via our Community of Learning page.