Exercise demonstrably reduces symptoms of both depression and anxiety, a comprehensive meta-analysis of nearly 80,000 participants has found. The research, published February 10 in The British Journal of Sports Medicine, synthesizes data from 63 studies encompassing 81 meta-analyses and 1,079 individual component studies.
Researchers led by Neil Richard Munro of James Cook University in Queensland, Australia, determined that exercise yielded a standardized imply difference reduction of -0.61 for depression symptoms and -0.47 for anxiety symptoms. The study deliberately excluded individuals with pre-existing chronic physiological conditions to isolate the impact of exercise on mental health, according to a summary published on PubMed.
Aerobic exercise showed the most significant impact on both depression and anxiety, the analysis revealed. However, the benefits of exercise extended across various formats and parameters. Specifically, the greatest improvements in depression were observed among emerging adults aged 18-30 and in postnatal women. Group and supervised exercise settings were also associated with greater reductions in depressive symptoms.
Interestingly, the study found that shorter durations and lower intensity exercise were most strongly linked to reductions in anxiety. This suggests that even modest physical activity can be beneficial for managing anxiety symptoms, according to the research team.
Munro, a PhD Candidate in Psychology at James Cook University, has published extensively on the topic, including perform highlighted by The Conversation. The meta-analysis, described as a “systematic umbrella review with meta-meta-analysis,” utilized data from five electronic databases, searching for eligible meta-analyses published up to July 31, 2025.
The authors emphasize the accessibility and cost-effectiveness of exercise as a treatment option. They argue that these findings should inform the development of clear guidelines to promote widespread adoption and long-term impact of exercise interventions for mental health.
