Mental health is one of the major public health challenges facing young Europeans today. Anxiety, chronic stress, sleep disorders, and social isolation are increasingly affecting the 18–29 age group, calling for new, evidence-based approaches that promote resilience, inclusion, and healthier lifestyles.
One Health Underwater: Youth Well-being through Diving is an Erasmus+ project led by FFESSM, in collaboration with DAN Europe and HE2B, exploring the potential of scuba diving as a tool to support young people’s mental well-being.
By combining scientific research, sport, environmental awareness, and social inclusion, the project investigates how the unique characteristics of diving (moderate physical activity, controlled breathing, focused attention, immersion in nature, and social connection) may contribute to psychological well-being and emotional resilience.
From hypothesis to data
Between November 2025 and April 2026, the project launched an international survey available in 6 languages, designed to better understand the relationship between diving habits, lifestyle, and mental well-being among young adults.
The survey collected responses from 1,669 divers aged 18–29, making it one of the most comprehensive datasets ever gathered in this field. Built around validated scientific assessment tools, the questionnaire explored psychological well-being, mood, lifestyle, motivation, and diving behaviours across a diverse European population.
First results: a positive signal
The first consolidated analyses reveal a consistent pattern of high mental well-being among participants.
Key findings include:
- Average WEMWBS mental well-being scores above 55/70
- More than 80% of participants regularly reporting feeling calm, optimistic, focused, and mentally active
- 93% considering diving an important part of their lives
- More than half diving at least once per month
Mood-profile analysis also showed a predominance of positive emotional states such as calmness, attentiveness, energy, and relaxation, while indicators associated with tension or irritability remained comparatively low.
While these findings do not establish causality, they provide encouraging evidence supporting the hypothesis that regular diving may positively contribute to mental well-being.
“Diving creates a unique combination of physiological regulation, focused attention, and social interaction that deserves scientific investigation.”
— Prof. Costantino Balestra, DAN Europe“When practiced under the right conditions, diving can contribute to mental well-being by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, helping the body relax, recover, and restore balance.”
— Dr. Frédéric Di Meglio, President of FFESSM
The next phase: from survey to field research
Following this first research phase, One Health Underwater will move into an experimental stage during summer 2026. A dedicated youth diving camp in France will allow researchers to monitor participants longitudinally through repeated psychological assessments and biological markers, including salivary biomarker analysis.
This next phase aims to better understand how regular diving may influence: stress regulation, emotional resilience, self-confidence, social connectedness, long-term psychological well-being.
Looking ahead
The long-term ambition of One Health Underwater is to generate robust scientific evidence that may support the integration of diving into future health, education, sport, and social inclusion programmes across Europe.
By connecting human health, environmental awareness, and active lifestyles, the project seeks to position diving not only as a sport, but as a potential tool for well-being, resilience, and positive social impact.
