Can physical activity help explain the gender gap in adolescent mental health? A cross-sectional exploration

Abstract

Studies find that physical activity links with mental health, females engage in less physical activity than males, and females have worse mental health than males. Less attention has been paid to the intersection of physical activity, mental health, and gender. Might physical activity explain links between gender and mental health in adolescence? Or does the mental health benefit of physical activity depend on gender? In addition, while physical activity correlates with better mental health overall, it may be more beneficial for some domains than others. Using four years of cross-sectional data from students (1,756 cases over four years, ages 13–18), we (1) confirmed gender differences in ph..