An examination of the anxiolytic effects of exercise for people with anxiety and stress-related disorders: A meta-analysis

The literature regarding exercise for people with established anxiety disorders is equivocal. To address this issue, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the benefits of exercise compared to usual treatment or control conditions in people with an anxiety and/or stress-rel...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychiatry research Vol. 249; pp. 102 - 108
Main Authors: Stubbs, Brendon, Vancampfort, Davy, Rosenbaum, Simon, Firth, Joseph, Cosco, Theodore, Veronese, Nicola, Salum, Giovanni A., Schuch, Felipe B.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 01.03.2017
Subjects:
Adult
Anti-Anxiety Agents
Anxiety
Anxiety - psychology
Anxiety - therapy
Exercise
Exercise - psychology
Exercise Therapy - methods
Humans
Physical activity
Psychiatry
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Stress
Stress, Psychological - psychology
Stress, Psychological - therapy
Treatment Outcome
Anxiety
Exercise
Physical activity
Stress
anxiety
stress
exercise
physical activity
ISSN:0165-1781, 1872-7123, 1872-7123
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The literature regarding exercise for people with established anxiety disorders is equivocal. To address this issue, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the benefits of exercise compared to usual treatment or control conditions in people with an anxiety and/or stress-related disorders. Major electronic databases were searched from inception until December/2015 and a random effect meta-analysis conducted. Altogether, six randomized control trials (RCTs) including 262 adults (exercise n=132, 34.74 [9.6] years; control n=130, 37.34 [10.0] years) were included. Exercise significantly decreased anxiety symptoms more than control conditions, with a moderate effect size (Standardized Mean Difference=−0.582, 95%CI −1.0 to −0.76, p=0.02). Our data suggest that exercise is effective in improving anxiety symptoms in people with a current diagnosis of anxiety and/ or stress-related disorders. Taken together with the wider benefits of exercise on wellbeing and cardiovascular health, these findings reinforce exercise as an important treatment option in people with anxiety/stress disorders. •Previous literature regarding the benefits of exercise for anxiety/ stress disorders is equivocal.•Our data suggest that exercise is more effective than control at reducing anxiety symptoms.•Given its wider health benefits, exercise should be considered a strategy to improve the health of this population.
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ISSN:0165-1781
1872-7123
1872-7123
DOI:10.1016/j.psychres.2016.12.020