The Exercise Experiment

     Researchers did a study on 7000 Dutch adolescents about their physical activity, bodyweight, mental problems, and socioeconomic status. They found that those adolescents that feel they're over or underweight or don't exercise at all were at greater risk for internal (depression, anxiety) or external (drug/alcohol abuse, aggression) problems. Not only does Exercising often or playing on a team sport keep a person fit and healthy on the outside, it also benefits a person's mental health. As a person becomes more fit, they're appearence becomes more appealing and his/her peer's liking towards the person can increase which boosts self esteem. On sports teams, there's a strong sense of support for each other such as encouraging teammates as they compete. This support also boosts a person's mental health and self esteem because they know that their peers acknowledge and have a
mutual relationship with the person.