Resume: Exercise intervention lasting 12 weeks or less appears to be most effective in reducing psychological symptoms, especially for those suffering from anxiety and depression. Higher intensity exercise was more beneficial in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression than longer duration programs.
Source: University of South Australia
Researchers at the University of South Australia are calling for exercise to be made a mainstay for managing depression as a new study shows that physical activity is 1.5 times more effective than counseling or the leading drugs.
Published in the British journal of sports medicine, the review is the most comprehensive to date, with 97 reviews, 1,039 trials and 128,119 participants. It shows that physical activity is extremely beneficial for improving symptoms of depression, anxiety and fear.
In particular, the review showed that exercise interventions of 12 weeks or less were most effective at reducing psychological symptoms, highlighting the speed at which physical activity can bring about a change.
The greatest benefits were seen in people with depression, pregnant and postpartum women, healthy individuals, and those diagnosed with HIV or kidney disease.
According to the World Health Organization, one in eight people worldwide (970 million people) live with a mental disorder. Poor mental health costs the global economy about $2.5 trillion each year, a cost that is expected to rise to $6 trillion by 2030. In Australia, it is estimated that one in five people (aged 16-85) has been diagnosed with had a mental disorder for months.
Principal Investigator of UniSA, Dr. Ben Singh, says physical activity should be a priority to better manage the growing cases of mental illness.
“Physical activity is known to help improve mental health. But despite the evidence, it is not yet widely accepted as a first-line treatment,” said Dr. Singh. “Our research shows that physical activity interventions can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in all clinical populations, with some groups showing even greater signs of improvement.
“Higher intensity exercise had greater improvements for depression and anxiety, while longer duration had smaller effects compared to short and medium bursts.
“We also found that all types of physical activity and exercise were beneficial, including aerobic exercises such as walking, resistance training, Pilates and yoga.
“Importantly, the research shows that it doesn’t take much exercise to bring about a positive change in your mental health.”
Senior researcher, Prof. Carol Maher of UniSA, says the study is the first to evaluate the effects of all types of physical activity on depression, anxiety and mental health problems in all adult populations. “Examining these studies as a whole is an effective way for clinicians to easily understand the body of evidence supporting physical activity in managing mental disorders.
“We hope this review will underscore the need for physical activity, including structured exercise interventions, as a mainstay for managing depression and anxiety.”
About this exercise and news about mental health research
Author: Press Office
Source: University of South Australia
Contact: Press Service – University of South Australia
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Original research: Open access.
“Effectiveness of Physical Activity Interventions for Improving Depression, Anxiety, and Anxiety: A Review of Systematic Reviews” by Ben Singh et al. British journal of sports medicine
Abstract
Effectiveness of physical activity interventions for improving depression, anxiety, and anxiety: a review of systematic reviews
Objectively
To summarize the evidence on the effects of physical activity on symptoms of depression, anxiety and mental health problems in adult populations.
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Design
Umbrella review.
Data sources
Twelve electronic databases were searched for eligible studies published from inception to January 1, 2022.
Eligibility criteria for selecting studies
Systematic reviews with meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials designed to increase physical activity in an adult population assessing depression, anxiety or mental health problems were eligible. Study selection was performed in duplicate by two independent reviewers.
Results
Ninety-seven reviews (1039 trials and 128 119 participants) were included. Populations include healthy adults, people with mental disorders, and people with various chronic diseases. Most reviews (n=77) had a critically low score for A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic reviews. Physical activity had moderate effects on depression (median effect size = −0.43, IQR = −0.66 to –0.27), anxiety (median effect size = −0.42, IQR = −0.66 to –0.26 ) and psychological complaints (effect size = −0.60, 95% CI -0.78 to -0.42), compared to usual care in all populations. The greatest benefits were seen in people with depression, HIV and kidney disease, in pregnant and postpartum women, and in healthy individuals. Higher intensity physical activity was associated with greater improvement in symptoms. The effectiveness of physical activity interventions decreased with longer interventions.
Conclusion and relevance
Physical activity is highly beneficial for improving symptoms of depression, anxiety and distress in a wide range of adult populations, including the general population, those with diagnosed mental disorders and those with chronic illness. Physical activity should be a mainstay in the treatment of depression, anxiety and mental health problems.