Health Benefits of Physical Exercise for Children and Adolescents

Several factors facilitate health and happiness in children and adolescents: some of these factors are non-modifiable, including age, gender, genetic characteristics and macro-socioeconomy, whereas others are more-or-less modifiable, including education, income, leisure activity, social status, affective profiles and role models [1-3], while physical exercise as a promoter of health and well-being is invariably available [4]. It seems remarkable that the benefits of physical exercise upon psychological and physical health parameters have received a paucity of attention compared with those presenting on adult health [5]. The utility and feasibility of physical exercise training programs in several pediatric disease settings and nursing educational facilities has been explored with some success [6,7]. In a ‘review of reviews’, Biddle and Asare [8] have concluded that, despite shortcomings in research design, there is a real association between physical activity and mental (psychological) health, as well as a consistent link between sedentary screen time and poorer mental health. In the present review, several health-promoting and affective status improving aspects of physical exercise are examined and discussed as contributors towards an elevated level of well-being among children and adolescents; these aspects include overweight and obesity which pose worldwide dangers for health, function, well-being and happiness, anxiety and stress that may disturb both the developmental trajectory and academic outcome, and neuroimmune functioning complications.