Making mental wellbeing a public health priority

Mental wellbeing is often discussed through the lens of clinical care – therapy, counselling, and treatment delivered once challenges have already taken hold. From a public health perspective, however, mental health is shaped much earlier and far more broadly. It is influenced by the environments people live in, the habits they form, the opportunities they have to stay active, and the social and family structures that support daily life.

As health leaders, our responsibility is not limited to responding once illness appears. It extends to identifying and addressing population-level risk factors that affect communities long before individuals enter clinical settings. One of the most significant, yet most overlooked, of these factors is physical inactivity. A substantial body of global research now shows that how much people move, starting early in life, plays a meaningful role in emotional resilience, stress regulation, and long-term mental wellbeing.

The World Health Organisation recognises physical inactivity as a major risk factor not only for non-communicable diseases, but also for poorer mental health outcomes. Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, improve mood, and support cognitive and emotional functioning across age groups. These effects are particularly important for children and adolescents, whose mental wellbeing is strongly shaped by daily routines and environments.

Large-scale studies reinforce this relationship. A widely cited meta-analysis published in The Lancet Psychiatry found that individuals who were more physically active had significantly lower risks of developing depression compared to those who were inactive. Importantly, the protective effect was observed across different age groups and types of activity, suggesting that even moderate movement can make a meaningful difference. Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine similarly demonstrates a dose-response relationship, where higher levels of physical activity are associated with lower rates of depressive symptoms.

From a public health standpoint, these findings matter because physical inactivity is modifiable. Unlike many risk factors for poor mental health, movement can be influenced through policy, urban design, education systems, workplaces, and family routines. This places prevention squarely within the remit of community health.

This prevention-led, community-based approach to mental wellbeing – one that prioritises early engagements, supportive environments, and open dialogue - is already being applied through community-based initiatives that translate public health principles into lived experience. One example is the “Beauty of Our Minds” activation, which focused on mental wellbeing through engagement, dialogue, and self-reflection rather than clinical framing. More than 3,000 visitors took part in the experience, with a high proportion engaging with self-assessment tools through the Sahatna platform. Importantly, the activation created space for open conversations around mental health across age groups, reinforcing the role of early awareness, supportive environments, and accessible tools in strengthening emotional resilience at a population level.

This perspective is also particularly relevant as 2026 has been declared Year of the Family in the UAE. Families are the primary setting in which lifelong habits are formed. Shared activities like walking together, active play, time outdoors, support not only physical health but emotional connection, social bonding, and psychological resilience. Evidence shows that social interaction combined with physical activity amplifies mental wellbeing benefits, making family-based movement especially powerful.

Government strategies across the UAE increasingly emphasise prevention, healthy lifestyles, and environments that enable healthier choices. These priorities align closely with global public health guidance, which highlight physical activity as a protective factor for mental wellbeing across the life course. Schools, workplaces, and public spaces all play a role in translating these principles into everyday life.

It is important to be clear: physical activity is not a substitute for professional mental health care, nor does it replace clinical services when they are needed. But from a population health perspective, it is a foundational protective factor, one that can reduce risk, strengthen resilience, and support mental wellbeing at scale.

Mental health does not begin in a clinic. It begins in daily life – in how families spend time together, how communities are designed, and how movement is integrated into routine environments. By recognising the role of the body in shaping the mind, and by embedding physical activity into the fabric of everyday life, we take a meaningful step toward supporting stronger mental wellbeing for individuals, families, and society as a whole.

Dr Rashed Al Suwaidi is Director General, Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre