Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – In today’s fast-paced world, where work, school, and technology often take center stage, finding time for family activities can be challenging. Yet, spending quality time together is more vital than ever. From cooking together to planning a family outing, shared activities teach children responsibility, problem-solving, and cooperation. Parents can model patience, teamwork, and perseverance, helping kids develop essential skills for adulthood.
From family bike rides to casual backyard football games, parents who stay active with their teens are more likely to raise children with stronger physical and mental well-being, according to fresh findings from the University of South Australia (UniSA).
The research, carried out in partnership with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute (CHEO RI) and Canadian collaborators, found that teens who regularly work out with their families are more likely to:
Achieve the daily physical activity target of over 60 minutes (23 percent).
Stick to recommended screen time limits of two hours or less per day (74 percent).
Experience improved mental health (81 percent), including greater life satisfaction (67 percent) and reduced levels of stress (86 percent), anxiety (73 percent), and depression (89 percent).
The findings also highlighted a clear trend: the more often families exercise together, the greater the positive impact on teens’ wellbeing.
According to World Health Organization data, 80 percent of adolescents are falling short of recommended activity levels, while one in five spends over four hours gaming on screens. Furthermore, a mental health condition affects one in seven teenagers.
Dr. Justin Lang, adjunct professor at UniSA and member of the Public Health Agency of Canada, emphasizes the power of simple family routines in boosting young people’s health.
“Getting teenagers up and moving is crucial to reversing the slide into inactivity—and as our study shows, the key may be in getting the whole family involved.
“We found that teenagers who exercise daily with their families are twice as likely to meet activity and screen time guidelines – and four times more likely to report stronger mental health and greater life satisfaction.
Dr. Lang says indicated that exercise is a powerful tool for physical and mental wellness. With screens becoming a major part of teens’ lives, inactivity can easily become the norm.
The study analyzed self-reported data from 8,213 Canadian teens aged 12 to 17, drawn from the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth.
The results showed that only 11 percent of teens met the national recommendation of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily. Meanwhile, just 56 percent limited their recreational screen time to under two hours per day.
Co-researcher Dr. JP Chaput, from CHEO Research Institute, emphasized the crucial role parents play in shaping their children’s habits.
According to Dr. Chaput, exercising as a family does more than promote physical health — it can also strengthen relationships, boost teens’ confidence, and support their mental wellbeing. He pointed out that when parents actively participate in their teenagers’ physical activity, it helps foster stronger emotional connections, improve communication, and build resilience against mental health challenges such as stress, anxiety, and depression.
Dr. Chaput further indicated that by making physical activity a shared priority, families are not just encouraging healthy habits, as they are also making a meaningful investment in their children’s long-term well-being— proving that even small, shared moments of movement can have a lasting impact.
No matter how busy life gets, prioritizing family activities is an investment in lifelong happiness and connection; the findings of the study give an additional reason.
Children cherish memories of family traditions—whether it’s holiday gatherings, annual vacations, or simple bedtime stories. These experiences shape their sense of identity and belonging, giving them a foundation of love and security.
