An updated Cochrane review shows that regular exercise can reduce symptoms of depression as effectively as psychological treatment.
The study, led by researchers at the University of Lancashire, reviewed 73 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 5,000 adults with depression. Compared to no treatment, exercise produced modest improvements in depressive symptoms. When measured against psychological therapy, exercise showed similar benefits based on moderate-certainty evidence, and it also appeared to be comparable to antidepressant medication, although the evidence was less certain.
Light-moderate exercise performed over several sessions worked best, with greater improvements seen after 13 to 36 sessions were completed. Programs that combine different types of activity, including resistance training, have been more effective than aerobic exercise. Side effects were rare and generally mild.
Although exercise is not a cure and the long-term effects remain unclear, the findings highlight it as a safe, inexpensive and affordable tool for managing depression.
Source: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
This article is in Journal of Wellbeing 222
