A major new study reveals that children who engage in regular physical activity before their teenage years are significantly less likely to develop anxiety and depression as they grow older, adding new urgency to efforts aimed at boosting physical exercise among Thai youth. The research, published in June 2025, underscores the mental health benefits of sports and activity, especially as today’s youth are becoming less physically active.
The study, highlighted by The Washington Post, tracked children’s physical activity levels and mental health outcomes at ages 5, 8, and 11. Researchers discovered that boys who were physically active at ages 5 and 11 had their risk of anxiety slashed by almost 40%. Similar benefits were seen for depression: boys active at age 5 had a 19% lower risk, rising to 23% at age 8. By age 11, girls also began to experience the protective benefits, with organized sports participation linked to a 12% lower risk of future mental health diagnoses; the figure for boys was 23% lower (Washington Post).
These findings are particularly pressing as children’s daily physical activity sharply declined from over four hours at age 5 to just 2.5 hours by age 11. According to the researchers, the age between 10 and 12 may represent a “critical period” for developing psychological resilience. They recommend prioritizing physical activity and organized sports in late childhood as a potential shield against later-life psychiatric conditions.
For Thai readers, this research arrives at a crucial moment. Recent data show that Thai children and youth are struggling to meet even basic physical activity targets. The 2022 Thailand Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, published in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Public Health, found that just 26.2% of Thai children and youth met the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guideline of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily. Alarmingly, the trend is similar to the international patterns — boys tend to be more active than girls, and activity levels drop as children move into adolescence (BMC Public Health).
Locally, mental health concerns among Thai youth are significant. A third of Thai children and young people have been found to suffer from a moderate-to-severe level of stress or anxiety — a problem that has heightened since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routines, schooling, and social lives (BMC Public Health 2022 Thailand Report Card). According to a 2024 panel study, sufficient moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among Thai youth aged 6–17 fluctuates between 19% and 27.6%, with a persistent downward trend over the last several years (ResearchGate).
Leading experts from Thai public health agencies and educational authorities have frequently raised concerns about the mounting physical inactivity and its implications for both physical and mental health. One senior officer at the Ministry of Public Health, who oversees child health policies, commented that “the growing rates of inactivity among Thai youth is a major barrier to reducing mental health problems. Interventions in Thai schools and communities must prioritise sport and recreation for all children, especially as pressures from academics and screens continue to rise.”
The new global research adds weight to these domestic observations, showing that early physical activity doesn’t just benefit the body, but also plays a powerful preventive role against depression and anxiety. Organized sports, such as football, sepak takraw, and volleyball — all popular in Thai schools — are particularly effective, likely because they foster social connection, discipline, and structured routines. Experts emphasize that the benefits are not strictly limited to organized sports. Even unstructured daily play — from cycling in a neighbourhood soi to group dance rehearsals for school events — helps to enhance resilience and absorbs life’s stresses.
Thailand’s education system, with its longstanding tradition of morning exercises and after-school sports, now faces the challenge of adapting these practices amid shifting social trends. The proliferation of screens, rising exam pressures, and urban environments with limited green space have all contributed to declining active hours among children, according to child psychologists affiliated with leading Thai universities. These professionals point out that urbanization and lifestyle change in Bangkok and other major cities, where many children live in condos with limited play areas, have exacerbated the problem.
In rural settings, traditional games such as kratai khang khao (rabbit and crow) and takraw remain popular, and these may provide models for broader efforts to make physical activity more appealing and culturally resonant. However, a recent joint report by the Ministry of Education and the World Health Organization notes that the time devoted to physical activity in Thai schools is frequently sacrificed for additional classroom hours or extracurricular tutoring.
Analysing the likely future, experts warn that unless action is taken, the repercussions for Thai society may be profound: greater long-term burden on the health system, lost potential for youth, and a population more vulnerable to both physical and mental illness. However, there are also opportunities. Community and school-led innovation, such as weekend sports leagues, parent-child activity days, and digital incentives for active play, are gaining traction in some provinces, with promising early outcomes.
To leverage these findings, policymakers and families alike should act now. Thai schools can protect time for physical education and prioritize participation in sports for all students, not just those who are athletically gifted. Local community organizations might organize regular activity clubs and revive traditional Thai games. Parents are encouraged to schedule screen-free outdoor play and to participate in active recreation as a family, creating strong role models for their children’s behaviour.
For Thai readers, the message is clear and urgent. Childhood is the critical window not only for developing strong bodies, but also resilient and healthy minds. Fostering a culture of active play and inclusive sports from a young age will pay dividends for the mental health of Thailand’s next generation. Small, everyday changes — a daily walk, a family game of badminton, or joining a school football team — can make a genuine difference in lowering the risks of anxiety and depression.
Families and educators are encouraged to explore creative avenues for promoting movement, leveraging both global evidence and local traditions to ensure the wellbeing of Thai children for years to come.