Kids may battle depression better if they exercise

Exercise seems to help some adults battle depression -- that endorphin release can produce upbeat feelings and tamp down pain receptors. But does it work as well for children?

It may, according to a new study that put 207 overweight, sedentary kids ages 7 to 11 through varying bouts of play-type exercise and found that those who stayed active longest reaped the most benefits.

As exercise time rose, so did psychological benefits, as depression symptoms decreased, although the participants' weight did not change significantly. The children also said they felt better about themselves, leading researchers to speculate that that could lead to doing better in school.