Physical activity should be considered as front-line treatment for depression: scientific review

A comprehensive review conducted by researchers found that exercise interventions lasting 12 weeks or less had the most significant impact on reducing symptoms of mental health disorders. However, it should be noted that this review, known as an umbrella review, provides a broad overview of a complex subject. The effectiveness of exercise can vary depending on the types of exercises and individuals’ ability to engage in them, which can differ across populations.

Nevertheless, the fact that exercise consistently showed positive effects across numerous studies supports the idea that it should be seriously considered as a therapeutic intervention for patients. Singh, one of the researchers involved, highlighted that physical activity is known to improve mental health, yet it has not been widely adopted as a first-choice treatment, despite the evidence.

In this umbrella review, the researchers analyzed 97 other scientific reviews, which included a total of 1,039 trials involving 128,119 participants. The studies included adults with mental health issues who participated in physical activity interventions. The duration, frequency, and type of physical activity varied across the studies, indicating the need for further research to determine which specific types and durations of exercise hold the most therapeutic value for different patient groups.

The review findings suggest that exercise of all types was effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety across various clinical populations. However, certain groups experienced greater benefits, including individuals with depression, pregnant and postpartum women, those diagnosed with HIV or kidney disease, and individuals who were physically healthy but experiencing mental distress.

Higher intensity exercise was generally associated with greater alleviation of depression and anxiety symptoms, and shorter durations of exercise had slightly more positive impacts compared to longer durations. The researchers acknowledged that the finding of longer duration exercises having less impact seemed counter-intuitive. They theorized that participants may have struggled to adhere to longer exercise schedules, which could lead to feelings of failure and potentially impact the psychological benefits.

The review also identified certain limitations. There were more studies focused on mild-to-moderate depression, while fewer studies examined anxiety and psychological distress. Additionally, the clarity of the individual studies included in the smaller reviews analyzed in this umbrella review may have varied. Therefore, further research is needed to explore the role of physical exercise as a tool for combating depression and anxiety more comprehensively.