Influence of organized sport activity on stress response and mental health in adolescents: A 15-month cohort study in high school students

The present study investigated the influence of sport activities over 15 months on the mental health of adolescents. Stress response and Profile of Mood States (POMS) in response to sport activities were examined among first-year boys attending high school in Fukuoka. At baseline, students were assigned to the Non-Activity group (NA: n=301) or the Sport Activity group (SA: n=252), depending on whether they participated in extracurricular sports activities. Variables were assessed at baseline and at 15 months. At baseline, secretory immunoglobulin A (S-IgA) levels were significantly lower in the SA group than in the NA group. Significant interaction with two factors (group and time progress) was shown for S-IgA. S-IgA increased in both the NA group and the SA group. There was a greater degree of change in the SA group than in the NA group. Anger-hostility and confusion scores on the POMS were significantly lower in the SA group than in the NA group at baseline. Vigor scores in the SA group were significantly higher than in the NA group at baseline. Significant interactions were shown in depression and fatigue. Depression scores increased over time in both groups, but the degree of change was less in the SA group than in the NA group. Fatigue increased in the NA group and decreased in the SA group. The present results suggest that organized sport activities contribute to the reduction of chronic stress response, as assessed by S-IgA levels, and are effective in promoting improvements in mental health in adolescents.