A comprehensive analysis published today in the British Journal of Sports Medicine confirms a strong link between exercise and improved mental health, with aerobic activity demonstrating effectiveness comparable to traditional treatments for depression, and anxiety.
The research, a sweeping review of nearly 80,000 individuals, examined data from over 1,000 studies. Lead researcher Neil Richard Munro, affiliated with James Cook University in Queensland, Australia, and his team deliberately excluded participants with chronic physical illnesses like heart disease or cancer to isolate the impact of exercise on mental wellbeing. The study, identified by DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2025-110301, found that exercise produced an effect size of -0.61 for depression, matching or exceeding the reported effect sizes for antidepressants (-0.36) and psychotherapy (-0.34).
The benefits of exercise were particularly pronounced in young adults aged 18-30, a demographic often experiencing the onset of depression. New mothers also showed significant improvements, offering a potential treatment option without the concerns associated with medication during breastfeeding. The analysis indicated that both aerobic exercise and group settings yielded the most substantial benefits.
While the study found exercise effective for both depression and anxiety, it suggested that longer programs were needed to address depressive symptoms, while anxiety responded more readily to shorter exercise sessions. Activities such as running, cycling, and walking were found to be as beneficial as pharmaceutical interventions for some individuals.
The British Journal of Sports Medicine, a leading peer-reviewed publication in sports medicine, currently has an Impact Factor of 16.3 and a Citescore of 21. A service spotlight published February 9, 2026, in the journal highlighted leadership and impact in sport medicine, focusing on clinical systems and female athlete health through collaboration and implementation.
The journal’s multimedia portal serves the international sport and exercise medicine community, encompassing 25 clinical societies with over 13,000 members. BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine operates as a companion journal to the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
