A new study shows that physical activity is more effective than counseling or the main drugs used for managing depression
Researchers from the University of South Australia show that ‘exercise is 1.5 times more effective than counseling or major medications used to manage depression. Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the investigators’ review is the most comprehensive to date, comprising 97 reviews, 1039 studies and 128,119 participants. It shows that physical activity is extremely helpful in improving symptoms of depression, anxiety and distress. Specifically, the review showed that 12-week exercise interventions were the most effective at reducing mental health symptoms, highlighting how quickly physical activity can make a change. The greatest benefits were seen among people with depression, pregnant and postpartum women, healthy individuals, and people diagnosed with HIV or kidney disease.
970 million people suffer from one or more mental disorders
According to the World Health Organization, one in eight people in the world (970 million people, therefore) suffers from a mental disorder. Poor mental health costs the global economy an estimated $2.5 billion each year, a cost projected to rise to $6 billion by 2030. In Australia, it is estimated that one in five people (aged 16 to 85 years old) has suffered from a mental disorder in the last 12 months. Dr Ben Singh, lead researcher at UniSA, says thephysical activity must be a priority to better manage the growing cases of mental health conditions.
“Physical activity is known to help improve mental health. However, despite the evidence, it has not been widely adopted as a first-choice treatment,” Singh says. “Our review 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. We also found that all types of physical activity and exercise had beneficial effects, including aerobic exercises such as walking, resistance training, pilates and yoga.”
