Study: Gen-Z Lags Other Demos When Assessing Link Between Exercise and State of Mind

Asics Corporation released its second annual Global State of Mind Study, which the athletic footwear and apparel company said “reaffirms a positive link between physical exercise and mental wellbeing and uncovers a link between being physically active in teenage years and positive mental wellbeing in adulthood.”

The study of over 26,000 respondents in 22 countries found that the more people exercise, the higher their State of Mind scores. Globally, regularly active respondents had an average State of Mind score of 67/100, while inactive people had a lower State of Mind score of 54/100.

The study also identified that being physically active as a teen directly impacted a person’s mind later in life. People who exercised throughout adolescence reported higher activity levels and State of Mind scores as adults. The report found that being active as a teenager was vital in establishing good exercise habits that last into adulthood and positively impact adult mental wellbeing.

Asics said its Global State of Mind Study pinpointed that the ages 15 to 17 are the most critical for staying active, and not exercising significantly affects a person’s mental state for years to come. Those who regularly exercised between the ages of 15 and 17 were more likely to remain active later in life and report higher State of Mind scores as adults (64/100) than those who were inactive during these years (61/100).

The Asics study also found that respondents who dropped out of exercise before age 15 had the lowest activity levels and State of Mind scores as adults. Thirty percent of respondents who remained inactive as adults were 11 percent less focused, 10 percent less confident, 10 percent less calm, and 10 percent less composed than people who exercised throughout adolescence.

The Asics State of Mind Study also found that every year a teenager engaged in regular exercise, they improved their State of Mind scores in adulthood. Those who stopped exercising before age 15 displayed an average State of Mind score 15 percent lower than the global average, while a decline in physical activity between ages 16 and 17 and before age 22 reduced their average scores by 13 percent and 6 percent, respectively.

Of concern is the study’s finding of an “exercise generation gap,” with younger generations increasingly less active. Fifty-seven percent of the Silent Generation (aged 78+) said they were active daily in their childhood compared to 19 percent of Gen Z (ages 18 to 27), showing a concerning trend of younger generations dropping out of physical activity earlier and in larger numbers than the generations before them.

Globally, Gen Z had the lowest State of Mind scores in the study, with an average of 62/100 compared to Baby Boomers 68/100 and the Silent Generation’s 70/100.

“It is worrying to see this decline in activity levels from younger respondents at such a critical age, particularly as the study uncovered an association with lower wellbeing in adulthood,” offered Professor Brendon Stubbs, a researcher in exercise and mental health from King’s College London.

“Asics was founded on the belief that sport and exercise benefit not only the body but also the mind,” noted Tomoko Koda, managing executive officer at Asics Corporation. “The results of our second global State of Mind Study show how important it is that young people stay active and the impact this can have on their minds for years to come. At Asics, we’re committed to supporting and inspiring people to move for positive mental wellbeing throughout their lifetime.”

Methodology: The Asics 2024 State of Mind Study was conducted between November 17 and December 21, 2023, and explores the relationship between exercise and a person’s state of mind worldwide. Over 26,000 people participated in the survey across 22 markets, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, UAE, the UK and the U.S. Each market sample was nationally representative by age and gender. The Asics State of Mind score is out of 100, calculated based on the accumulative mean scores across ten cognitive and emotional traits, including positive, content, relaxed, focused, composed, resilient, confident, alert, calm, and energized.

To learn more about the Study, go here.

Image courtesy Asics Corporation

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Read below for more coverage from SGB Media on Asics first State of Mind Survey.

Asics Study Shows Exercise Sharpens Mind, Improves Mental Performance