Depression is often treated with medication and therapy, but these methods do not work for everyone.
Previous research published in World Psychiatry shows that at least 30 percent of patients with depression do not derive sufficient benefit from standard treatments.
This creates challenges for both patients and healthcare systems, which already have limited capacity.
According to the World Health Organization, around 332 million people worldwide live with depression.
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The widespread nature of the illness means there is a need for more realistic and accessible treatment options that can be tailored to individual needs.
New review of research
A new analysis published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews has compiled results from 73 previous studies involving around 5,000 adults with depression.
The aim was to update older research that no longer reflected the full body of knowledge in the field.
The study’s lead author, Andrew Clegg of the University of Lancashire, explains, according to Medical News Today, that the update is intended to ensure that both health authorities and patients make decisions based on the most current evidence.
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The review focuses exclusively on the effects of exercise compared with no treatment or psychological therapy.
The conclusion emerges
The results show that exercise can reduce depressive symptoms to the same extent as therapy.
The strongest effects were observed with light to moderate physical activity such as walking, cycling, or gardening. Very intense exercise did not have the same effect.
Psychologists Raphael Wald and Karmel Choi, quoted by Medical News Today, believe that exercise gives patients more options.
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Karmel Choi emphasizes, however, that exercise should generally be used alongside other treatments and not as a stand-alone solution.
The researchers’ point is not to replace existing treatments, but to expand the range of available options.
Sources: Medical News Today, World Psychiatry, WHO, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
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This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.