As a society we like to say that our children are our future, but our future is endangered if we don’t take care of this valuable element of it. An estimated 1.2 million children and youth in Canada are affected by mental illness—yet, less than 20 per cent will receive appropriate treatment.
70% of mental health problems have their onset during childhood or adolescence.
Canada’s youth suicide rate is the third highest in the industrialized world.
Only about 40% of children and youth aged 5 to 17 meet the recommended targets for physical activity.
Mental Health
We believe that activity and mental health go hand in hand in helping youth stay healthy in body and mind.
There are six key mental health benefits of exercise for teens:
• Exercise reduces stress and increases relaxation
• It alleviates anxiety and depression
• Exercise improves self-confidence
• Sharpens memory and prevents cognitive decline
• It helps control addiction
• Helps improve focus and creativity
Fitness
An active lifestyle helps young bodies run more efficently
Stress Reduction: Exercise slows down the release of stress-related hormones.
Self Esteem Boost: Doing something good for yourself, like exercise, makes you feel better about yourself.
Improved Sleep: Daily exercise can improve sleep quality and consistent exercise can provide improvements in sleep over time.
Nutrition
A good diet correlates with fewer instances of depression, even when accounting for other factors and stressors, and improving one’s nutrition can relieve and reduce anxiety. This is doubly important for teens, who are still growing and need as many quality nutrients as possible to reach their full potential.
Studies have shown that in teens a proper diet can be up to 4x more effective in combating mental health issues than social support or counseling alone.
