Teens who exercise with their parents are likely to have better physical and mental health.
Research published in Health Reports found that teens who engaged in a higher amount of family physical activity reported better mental health and greater life satisfaction.
“Adolescents who participate in physical activity with their family are more likely to meet the recommended guidelines of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day and limit recreational screen time to 2 hours or less. Additionally, those who are more frequently active with their parents report better mental health, including lower anxiety and depressive symptoms, higher life satisfaction, and reduced stress,” Dr. Justin Lang, co author of the study and an Adjunct Professor with UniSA and Research Scientist at the Public Health Agency of Canada told Theravive.
“It is well established that active parents often have active children, but most studies focus on parental role modeling or support for children’s physical activity. Our study was among the first to examine the impact of being active together as a family on adolescent mental health. A deeper understanding of the role of family physical activity during adolescence can help inform the development of interventions aimed at improving adolescents’ physical activity levels, reducing screen time, and supporting mental health.”
Data from the World Health Organization indicates that 80% of teenagers don’t get enough physical activity and one in five are on digital screens for at least four hours when they are gaming.
In undertaking their study, the researchers analyzed responses from more than 8000 teenagers in Canada between the ages of 12 and 17.
They found that just 11% were meeting national guidelines of 60 minutes of medium to vigorous physical activity per day and 56% engaged in less than two hours of screen time for recreational purposes per day.
The survey also included frequency of family physical activity on a scale of “never” to “daily”.
The researchers found that among teenagers who exercised more frequently with their family, 74% met the recommended screentime guideline of two hours of screen time or less a day, while 23% met exercise guidelines.
81% reported better mental health, 67% reported higher life satisfaction and 86% reported lower stress.
73% reported lower levels of anxiety and 89% reported lower levels of depression.
“Many teens around the world do not engage in enough physical activity and spend far too much time in front of screen. This study shows the importance of the family unit in encouraging more activity. The potential benefits of family activity are important for improved mental health, reduced stress, and higher life satisfaction. These benefits may not only impact teens (the focus of our study), but also adults and younger children who participate in family activity,” Lang said.
“While exercise alone improves teen mental health, doing it with family may amplify the benefits by strengthening emotional bonds, providing social support, and creating a sense of belonging. Family-based activities like walks, sports, or hikes not only make exercise more enjoyable and consistent but can also model healthy coping strategies, helping teens manage stress, anxiety, and depression more effectively. In short, the family element might act as a multiplier for the mental health benefits of exercise.”
Lang says that for teens who may be hesitant to engage in family based exercise, there are strategies caregivers and parents can try.
“Caregivers can approach resistant teens by keeping activities low-pressure, fun, and focused on shared experiences rather than « exercise » itself — like casual bike rides, walks with a treat at the end, or trying something new together. Giving teens some or all of the choice and control over what they do, setting a relaxed tone without forcing participation, and emphasizing connection over performance can help break down resistance and make family time feel less like a chore and more like a positive, enjoyable part of their day.”