Fitter kids are less likely to develop depression as adults, according to research led by the University of Tasmania’s Menzies Institute for Medical Research in collaboration with Adelaide University.
Using data from the Childhood Determinants of Adult Health study, spanning more than 30 years, researchers found children and adolescents with better cardiorespiratory fitness had a lower risk of developing depression in adulthood.
Menzies Institute researcher Dr Brooklyn Fraser said the research found that childhood cardiorespiratory fitness showed the strongest and most consistent association with later depression risk.
“The data collected over 30 years has given us a rare opportunity to examine how early-life fitness relates to mental health later in life,” Dr Fraser said.
“We found that children and adolescents with better cardiorespiratory fitness had a lower risk of developing depression as adults.
“The strongest and most consistent associations in our study were observed for cardiorespiratory fitness, or fitness developed through activities that make you huff and puff.”
The study examined the cardio and muscular fitness of Australian children aged 7-15 in 1985, then reassessed them when they were 36-49, more than three decades later.
The relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and later depression also appeared stronger among females.
Menzies Institute researcher and lead author Dr Kylie Smith said the study highlights the need for further research to better understand the pathways between childhood fitness and depression.
“There are many contributing factors to depression, meaning no single factor explains risk on its own. Fitness may be one piece of the puzzle,” Dr Smith said.
“While we cannot say a lack of fitness during childhood causes depression in adults, the findings suggest that childhood fitness may have benefits beyond physical health.”
More than 1000 participants were included in the study analysis, with childhood fitness measured using physical tests including a 1.6 kilometre run to assess cardiorespiratory fitness and a standing long jump to assess muscular power, with a smaller group also completing cycling and handgrip strength tests.
Over 30 years later, participants completed a World Health Organization diagnostic interview to determine whether they had experienced depression during their lifetime.
Adelaide University researcher Professor Grant Tomkinson said there is an urgent need to identify modifiable factors that could reduce depression risk.
“We already know that being physically active is good for our mental health, and previous research has shown that fitter adults are less likely to develop depression,” Prof Tomkinson said.
“But we know relatively little about whether being fit early in life is linked to better mental health decades later.
“Importantly, fitness is something we can change; it may be an important target for improving long-term mental health.”
‘ The long run: Fitness during childhood and adolescence and its association with adult depression ‘ was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2026.122372.
