“We also found that all types of physical activity and exercise were beneficial, including aerobic exercise such as walking, resistance training, Pilates and yoga,” Singh said.
Senior researcher, Professor Carol Maher from UniSA, says the study is the first to evaluate the effects of all forms of physical activity on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in all adult populations.
“Examining these studies in their entirety is an effective way for clinicians to more easily understand the body of evidence that supports physical activity in the management of mental health disorders,” Maher said.
“We hope this review underscores the need for physical activity, including structured exercise interventions, as a mainstay approach to the management of depression and anxiety,” Maher said.