Walking to school, playing football in the park, or simply getting around the city actively can bring teenagers significantly more benefits than was previously thought. A new study conducted in the United States has revealed a clear link between the number of daily steps and improved mental health in young people.
The study was conducted by specialists from King's College London (King's College London) and University of Massachusetts Amherst (University of Massachusetts Amherst). The data were obtained as part of the American program Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD) — a large long-term project studying adolescent brain development.
A large-scale study with fitness trackers
Over the course of a year, the researchers observed 5515 adolescents in the United States. All participants wore Fitbit fitness bands, which accurately recorded their daily physical activity. At the same time, the young people regularly completed the Child Behaviour Checklist — a tool widely used in clinical practice to measure anxiety, depressive symptoms, and behavioural problems.
Threshold values: how many steps are needed for health
The results showed a clear correlation between the number of steps and mental well-being:
- Adolescents who took fewer than 5000 steps per day, displayed the highest number of symptoms of anxiety, low mood, and behavioural problems.
- Those who took 12 000 steps or more, showed the lowest number of such symptoms.
Physical changes in the brain
Particularly noteworthy was the discovery of structural changes in the brain. In adolescents with high physical activity, thickening of brain tissue was observed in the areas responsible for movement control and emotion regulation. This indicates that walking not only temporarily improves mood, but also physically changes the structure of the brain, making it more resilient to stress.
The researchers' opinion
Dr Divyangana Rakesh, a senior lecturer in neuroscience and psychology at King's College London, who led the study, emphasised its practical significance:
“This study provides us with some of the most compelling evidence that even such an everyday, inexpensive and accessible way of measuring physical activity as counting daily steps is associated with the development of the brain and mental health in adolescents.”
What this means for parents and educators
The findings add to a growing body of scientific data linking physical activity with improved mental health. For parents, this means that encouraging children to take daily walks, play active games or use fitness trackers can be a simple and effective way to support their mental well-being.
Although the new study concerned adolescents specifically, the benefits of walking are not limited to this age. In adults, regular walks are also associated with fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, improved sleep and overall well-being. Therefore, an extra thousand or two steps a day can be a useful habit for a person of almost any age.
Source: Li Q, Paluch A, Rakesh D. Association of Daily Step Count With Mental Health and Brain Structure in Adolescents. JAMA Network Open. 2026;9(10):e2854698.
