Exercise as Medicine for Mental and Substance Use Disorders: A Meta-review of the Benefits for Neuropsychiatric and Cognitive Outcomes

In the paper

“However, the pooled data including older people with depressive symptoms found that aerobic exercise improved depressive symptoms (SMD = -0.90,95% CI -0.29 to -1.51, RCTs = 8, n intervention = 138, n control = 129).”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  The Abstract Results and Results > Main analysis report the cited pooled effect and sample sizes for exercise in older adults. The Discussion distinguishes that pooled finding from aerobic exercise alone: mixed aerobic and strength training was effective, but aerobic exercise alone was not. The sentence therefore assigns the pooled result to a modality it does not establish. (LLM, conf=0.90)

  cites [59] Schuch FB, Vancampfort D, Rosenbaum S, et al. Exercise for depression in older adults: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials adjusting for publication bias. Rev Bras Psiquiatr. 2016;38(3):247–54. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“Among those with MDD, we found consistent evidence (meta-analyses = 8) that exercise reduced depression in children, adults and older adults.”

• Also stated in: § 3.1.3 Adults · plain

  “The Cochrane review [62] (AMSTAR = 11, AMSTAR+ = 2) included 23 RCTs of people with MDD and found that exercise reduced depressive symptoms (SMD = -0.57,95% CI -0.81 to -0.32, n = 450, I 2 = 67%).”

• Also stated in: § 3.1.3 Adults · plain

  “In a trial sequential meta-analysis [63] (AMSTAR = 10, AMSTAR+ = 1), exercise was more effective than control conditions across 35 RCTs (SMD = -0.66,95% CI -0.86 to -0.46,I 2 = 81%).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [62] Cooney GM, Dwan K, Greig CA, et al. Exercise for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;9:CD004366. source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [61] Kvam S, Kleppe CL, Nordhus IH, Hovland A. Exercise as a treatment for depression: a meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2016;202:67–86. source
• Partly supported

  The Abstract reports that exercise reduced depression severity versus control in the pooled trials. But the effect disappeared when the analysis was restricted to trials less affected by bias, and the Conclusions say the authors have little confidence in the pooled estimate. The unqualified claim of a reduction therefore overstates the evidence this source provides for adults with MDD. (LLM, conf=0.88)

  cites [63] Krogh J, Hjorthoj C, Speyer H, Gluud C, Nordentoft M. Exercise for patients with major depression: a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis. BMJ Open. 2017;7(9):e014820. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“as an adjunctive treatment for reducing positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia (metaanalyses = 2)”

• Also stated in: § 3.1.1 Major Depression · hedged

  “Data from one MA [34] suggest that versus control conditions, 90 min or more of MVPA reduces total, positive and improves negative symptoms.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [34] Firth J, Cotter J, Elliott R, French P, Yung AR. A systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise interventions in schizophrenia patients. Psychol Med. 2015;45(7):1343–61. source
• Supported

  The Primary Outcome Measure: Clinical Symptoms section reports that exercise improved negative symptoms compared with active, passive, and overall controls in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. It also reports a reduction in positive symptoms compared with controls, matching the citing sentence. (LLM, conf=0.94)

  cites [69] Dauwan M, Begemann MJ, Heringa SM, Sommer IE. Exercise improves clinical symptoms, quality of life, global functioning, and depression in schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2016;42(3):588–99. source

In the paper

“Evidence also indicates that exercise was more effective than control conditions in reducing anxiety symptoms (meta-analyses = 3)”

• Also stated in: § 3.1.5 Anxiety and Stress-Related Disorders · plain

  “Exercise reduced anxiety symptoms at the trial end point (SMD = -0.581,95% CI -1.0 to -0.76, p = 0.02, I 2 = 66%).”

• Also stated in: § 3.1.5 Anxiety and Stress-Related Disorders · plain

  “Aylett et al. [67] (2018, AMSTAR = 9, AMSTAR+ = 3) meta-analysed four RCTs of people with anxiety disorders in primary care and found that exercise reduced anxiety symptoms (SMD = -0.32,95% CI -0.62 to -0.01).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [65] Stubbs B, Vancampfort D, Rosenbaum S, et al. An examination of the anxiolytic effects of exercise for people with anxiety and stress-related disorders: a meta-analysis. Psychiatry Res. 2017;249:102–8. source
• Supported

  The Results (Analysis) report that exercise improved anxiety scores compared with waiting-list controls, with an effect size of −0.41 (95% CI −0.70 to −0.12). The Discussion (Principal findings) says the trials included people with diagnosed anxiety disorders or elevated anxiety levels and concludes that exercise was more effective than waiting-list control. (LLM, conf=0.92)

  cites [67] Aylett E, Small N, Bower P. Exercise in the treatment of clinical anxiety in general practice—a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Health Serv Res. 2018;18(1):559. source

In the paper

“exercise improved global cognition in schizophrenia (meta-analyses = 1)”

• Also stated in: § 3.1.1 Major Depression · plain

  “MA of seven RCTs [33] found that exercise improved global cognition versus control conditions”

What the sources say

• Supported

  The Results section (Meta-Analysis of the Neurocognitive Outcomes of Exercise) reports that exercise significantly improved global cognition compared with control groups in participants with schizophrenia (g = 0.33, 95% CI 0.13–0.53). The Discussion explicitly describes this as a finding of the meta-analysis. (LLM, conf=0.94)

  cites [33] Firth J, Stubbs B, Rosenbaum S, et al. Aerobic exercise improves cognitive functioning in people with schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2016;43(3):546–56. source

In the paper

“as an adjunctive treatment for reducing positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia (metaanalyses = 2)”

• Also stated in: § 3.1.1 Major Depression · hedged

  “Data from one MA [34] suggest that versus control conditions, 90 min or more of MVPA reduces total, positive and improves negative symptoms.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [34] Firth J, Cotter J, Elliott R, French P, Yung AR. A systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise interventions in schizophrenia patients. Psychol Med. 2015;45(7):1343–61. source
• Supported

  The Primary Outcome Measure: Clinical Symptoms section reports that exercise reduced positive symptoms more than active, passive, and overall controls. The Discussion also reports significant effects on both positive and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. (LLM, conf=0.93)

  cites [69] Dauwan M, Begemann MJ, Heringa SM, Sommer IE. Exercise improves clinical symptoms, quality of life, global functioning, and depression in schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2016;42(3):588–99. source

In the paper

“One meta-analysis [59] (AMSTAR = 10, AMSTAR+ = 1) included two RCTs of older people with MDD or dysthymia and found the effects of exercise on symptoms of depression fell short of statistical significance (SMD = -1.883,95% CI 0.44 to -4.21, p = 0.11, I 2 = 93.06%).”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  The Results (Characteristics of included trials and participants; page unavailable) identify two studies that included participants with dysthymia, but say no study was limited exclusively to participants with MDD. The available Results passages do not report the claimed two-trial estimate or p = 0.11; the significant effect reported in the Main analysis is for all eight studies, not that subgroup. (LLM, conf=0.78)

  cites [59] Schuch FB, Vancampfort D, Rosenbaum S, et al. Exercise for depression in older adults: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials adjusting for publication bias. Rev Bras Psiquiatr. 2016;38(3):247–54. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“In a trial sequential meta-analysis [63] (AMSTAR = 10, AMSTAR+ = 1), exercise was more effective than control conditions across 35 RCTs (SMD = -0.66,95% CI -0.86 to -0.46,I 2 = 81%).”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  The Abstract reports 35 trials and a pooled benefit for exercise versus control (SMD −0.66, 95% CI −0.86 to −0.46); the Heterogeneity and subgroup analysis reports I² = 81%. However, the subgroup analyses section says a few included trials had some participants classified as having minor depression, so the result across all 35 trials is not exclusively for adults with MDD. (LLM, conf=0.85)

  cites [63] Krogh J, Hjorthoj C, Speyer H, Gluud C, Nordentoft M. Exercise for patients with major depression: a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis. BMJ Open. 2017;7(9):e014820. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“Eight meta-analyses examined effects of exercise in MDD [57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64].”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [57] Bailey AP, Hetrick SE, Rosenbaum S, Purcell R, Parker AG. Treating depression with physical activity in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Psychol Med. 2018;48(7):1068–83. source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [58] Carter T, Morres ID, Meade O, Callaghan P. The effect of exercise on depressive symptoms in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;55(7):580–90. source
• Partly supported

  The Methods (Meta-analysis) confirm that this paper examined the effects of exercise on depression, so it qualifies as a meta-analysis in the cited list. But the Results (Characteristics of included trials and participants) state that none of its eight included studies was limited exclusively to participants with MDD; the analysis covered older adults with depression more broadly. The paper’s eight studies are RCTs, not eight meta-analyses. (LLM, conf=0.86)

  cites [59] Schuch FB, Vancampfort D, Rosenbaum S, et al. Exercise for depression in older adults: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials adjusting for publication bias. Rev Bras Psiquiatr. 2016;38(3):247–54. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“whilst the pharmacological [35,36] and psychotherapeutic approaches [37,38] are helpful for many, they do not result in full remission in all patients.”

What the sources say

• Supported

  This source supports the pharmacological part of the citing sentence: its dose-reduction and discontinuation section reports symptomatic remission in 66.7% of patients continuing antipsychotic treatment, so not all achieved remission. The source concerns schizophrenia; the sentence attaches separate citations to psychotherapeutic approaches. (LLM, conf=0.88)

  cites [35] Correll CU, Rubio JM, Kane JM. What is the risk-benefit ratio of long-term antipsychotic treatment in people with schizophrenia? World Psychiatry. 2018;17(2):149–60. source
• Partly supported

  The Conclusions say pharmacological and psychological treatments for common mental disorders work, and the United States section notes that some antidepressant users were in partial rather than full remission. The paper does not establish patient-level remission outcomes for both approaches across mental disorders; its main finding concerns population prevalence. (LLM, conf=0.82)

  cites [36] Jorm AF, Patten SB, Brugha TS, Mojtabai R. Has increased provision of treatment reduced the prevalence of common mental disorders? Review of the evidence from four countries. World Psychiatry. 2017;16(1):90–9. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• Partly supported

  The Discussion (pp. 245–258) concludes that CBT is probably effective for major depression and three anxiety disorders, with small-to-moderate effects against more conservative controls. That supports the claim that psychotherapy helps but has limits; the paper does not report full-remission rates for treated patients. This citation is attached to the psychotherapeutic approaches, not the pharmacological ones. (LLM, conf=0.78)

  cites [37] Cuijpers P, Cristea IA, Karyotaki E, Reijnders M, Huibers MJ. How effective are cognitive behavior therapies for major depression and anxiety disorders? A meta-analytic update of the evidence. World Psychiatry. 2016;15(3):245–58. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“Overall, three meta-analyses investigated the benefits of exercise in anxiety and stress-related disorders [65][66][67].”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [65] Stubbs B, Vancampfort D, Rosenbaum S, et al. An examination of the anxiolytic effects of exercise for people with anxiety and stress-related disorders: a meta-analysis. Psychiatry Res. 2017;249:102–8. source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [66] Bartley CA, Hay M, Bloch MH. Meta-analysis: aerobic exercise for the treatment of anxiety disorders. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2013;45:34–9. source
• Supported

  The Discussion (Strengths and weaknesses; page not provided) explicitly calls this study a meta-analysis of exercise for clinical anxiety and discusses its findings. The citation identifies one of the three meta-analyses in the citing sentence; this source need not establish the collective count. (LLM, conf=0.92)

  cites [67] Aylett E, Small N, Bower P. Exercise in the treatment of clinical anxiety in general practice—a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Health Serv Res. 2018;18(1):559. source

In the paper

“Similar findings were evident for these outcomes in another meta-analysis [80] (AMSTAR = 5, AMSTAR+ = 3), but no effect was found for depressive symptoms from aerobic exercise across five RCTs.”

What the sources say

• ?Could not verify

  The Introduction (page unavailable) discusses exercise and depression in other populations, while the synthesized findings concern substance use disorders. Searches for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and for five aerobic-exercise RCTs found no passage addressing the claimed result. (LLM, conf=0.76)

  cites [80] Colledge F, Gerber M, Puhse U, Ludyga S. Anaerobic exercise training in the therapy of substance use disorders: a systematic review. Front Psychiatry. 2018;9:644. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“A separate systematic review, not included in the main results, reported that supervised exercise did not result in BMI or weight change in four RCTs [82], thus indicating a degree of safety.”

What the sources say

• Supported

  The Results (p. 3) state that all four RCTs showed no significant change in body weight or BMI. The Abstract (p. 1) also concludes that supervised exercise appeared safe because no detrimental anthropometric effect was observed. (LLM, conf=0.95)

  cites [82] Ng LW, Ng DP, Wong WP. Is supervised exercise training safe in patients with anorexia nervosa? A meta-analysis. Physiotherapy. 2013;99(1):1–11. source

In the paper

“A meta-analysis of seven RCTs [33] (AMSTAR = 5, AMSTAR+ = 3) of aerobic exercise and 292 people with schizophrenia spectrum disorder found that exercise improved global cognition versus control conditions which included table football alone (N = 1), occupational therapy (N = 1) and TAU (N = 5) (g = 0.412, 95% CI 0.19-0.64,p < 0.001).”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  The Results table and the ‘Meta-Analysis of the Neurocognitive Outcomes of Exercise’ section report that seven RCTs found improved global cognition versus controls (g = 0.412, 95% CI 0.19–0.64, P < .001). They report 297 participants, not 292. The ‘Included Studies and Participant Details’ section lists the cited control types, though it describes the included studies overall rather than assigning those counts specifically to the seven RCTs. (LLM, conf=0.92)

  cites [33] Firth J, Stubbs B, Rosenbaum S, et al. Aerobic exercise improves cognitive functioning in people with schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2016;43(3):546–56. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“Data from one MA [69] of 5 RCTs found that aerobic exercise does not improve depressive symptoms”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  The Discussion (page unavailable) says the evidence for reducing depressive symptoms points more toward yoga than aerobic exercise, but it does not state that aerobic exercise has no effect on depression. The Secondary Outcome Measures report a significant reduction in depression for exercise overall, and Table 1 lists seven studies for that outcome, not five RCTs. (LLM, conf=0.78)

  cites [69] Dauwan M, Begemann MJ, Heringa SM, Sommer IE. Exercise improves clinical symptoms, quality of life, global functioning, and depression in schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2016;42(3):588–99. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“The results of the study were extremely mixed; however, some positive effects (not significant) were found for the outcome of abstinence in nicotine dependence.”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  The Summary of Main Findings Regarding Primary Outcomes (page not provided) says six of nine nicotine-dependence studies assessing abstinence reported at least some positive effects, while cautioning that no conclusion can be drawn. The claim’s “not significant” qualifier is not supported: Table 1 marks several abstinence increases with ↑, and the paper’s table notation defines arrows as the direction of a significant effect unless otherwise stated. (LLM, conf=0.88)

  cites [80] Colledge F, Gerber M, Puhse U, Ludyga S. Anaerobic exercise training in the therapy of substance use disorders: a systematic review. Front Psychiatry. 2018;9:644. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“A separate systematic review, not included in the main results, reported that supervised exercise did not result in BMI or weight change in four RCTs [82], thus indicating a degree of safety.”

What the sources say

• Supported

  The Results (p. 3) state that all four RCTs showed no significant change in body weight or BMI. The paper concludes (p. 1) that supervised exercise appears safe in the comprehensive management of anorexia nervosa because no detrimental anthropometric effect was observed. (LLM, conf=0.94)

  cites [82] Ng LW, Ng DP, Wong WP. Is supervised exercise training safe in patients with anorexia nervosa? A meta-analysis. Physiotherapy. 2013;99(1):1–11. source

In the paper

“Whilst exercise did not reduce daily alcohol consumption or total scores on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, it reduced depressive symptoms when compared to controls (RCTs = 4; SMD = -0.867,p = 0.006, I 2 = 63%).”

What the sources say

• Supported

  The Other health outcomes section reports that four RCTs found reduced depressive symptoms versus controls, with SMD −0.867, p=0.006 and I²=63%. The Alcohol consumption section also reports no significant reduction in daily consumption or AUDIT total scores. (LLM, conf=0.95)

  cites [79] Hallgren M, Vancampfort D, Giesen ES, Lundin A, Stubbs B. Exercise as treatment for alcohol use disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2017;51(14):1058–64. source

In the paper

“A recent acute exercise study [84] and longer-term RCT [85] demonstrated that aerobic exercise may exert its effect by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [84] Kallies G, Rapp MA, Fydrich T, et al. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) at rest and after acute aerobic exercise in major depressive disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2018;102:212–5. source
• Supported

  The Results report a significant difference in serum BDNF change between the exercise and treatment-as-usual groups. The Discussion explicitly suggests that increased BDNF may be part of exercise’s neurobiological mechanism in patients with major depressive disorder, matching the claim’s qualified wording. (LLM, conf=0.88)

  cites [85] Kerling A, Kuck M, Tegtbur U, et al. Exercise increases serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients with major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord. 2017;215:152–5. source

In the paper

“Second, there is tentative evidence that moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic and resistance training exercise improves mental health symptoms and cognition in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders [33,34,70].”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  The Results and Discussion support cognitive benefits from exercise in people with schizophrenia, and the Introduction reports evidence of improvements in psychiatric symptoms. But the included interventions were primarily aerobic; the Discussion says resistance-training evidence for cognition came from single-arm studies, and it does not establish moderate-to-vigorous intensity as the effective level. (LLM, conf=0.86)

  cites [33] Firth J, Stubbs B, Rosenbaum S, et al. Aerobic exercise improves cognitive functioning in people with schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2016;43(3):546–56. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [34] Firth J, Cotter J, Elliott R, French P, Yung AR. A systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise interventions in schizophrenia patients. Psychol Med. 2015;45(7):1343–61. source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [70] Pearsall R, Smith DJ, Pelosi A, Geddes J. Exercise therapy in adults with serious mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry. 2014;14(1):1–28. source

In the paper

“Moreover, increased cardio-metabolic dysfunction has been associated with worse mental and cognitive symptoms in those with schizophrenia [98], MDD [99], bipolar disorder [100] and binge eating disorder [101].”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [98] Bora E, Akdede BB, Alptekin K. The relationship between cognitive impairment in schizophrenia and metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychol Med. 2017;47(6):1030–40. source
• Partly supported

  The Insulin section reports that, in patients with MDD and abdominal obesity or metabolic syndrome, reduced insulin resistance correlated with reduced depressive symptoms. This supports the association with mental symptoms for the MDD portion of the sentence, which cites this paper as [99]. The passages do not establish an association with worse cognitive symptoms in people with MDD; the other diagnoses have separate citations. (LLM, conf=0.84)

  cites [99] Hryhorczuk C, Sharma S, Fulton SE. Metabolic disturbances connecting obesity and depression. Front Neurosci. 2013;7:177. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [100] Volkert J, Kopf J, Kazmaier J, et al. Evidence for cognitive subgroups in bipolar disorder and the influence of subclinical depression and sleep disturbances. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2015;25(2):192–202. source

In the paper

“Whilst there is robust evidence in the general population for the potential of exercise for preserving and improving cognition [11,12,107], future adequately powered RCTs with the primary objective of improving cognition are needed.”

What the sources say

• Supported

  The review states that physical activity and aerobic exercise can improve cognitive performance across the life span, with some evidence from randomized trials (Molecular and Cellular Benefits of Physical Activity; page unavailable). Its Behavioral Evidence section also reports cognitive gains and mitigation of age-related decline in older adults. The claim describes the potential of exercise rather than an established benefit for every age group, which fits the review's qualifications. (LLM, conf=0.88)

  cites [11] Prakash RS, Voss MW, Erickson KI, Kramer AF. Physical activity and cognitive vitality. Annu Rev Psychol. 2015;66(1):769–97. source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [12] Kramer AF, Erickson KI. Capitalizing on cortical plasticity: influence of physical activity on cognition and brain function. Trends Cogn Sci. 2007;11(8):342–8. source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [107] Stubbs B, Chen LJ, Chang CY, Sun WJ, Ku PW. Accelerometer-assessed light physical activity is protective of future cognitive ability: a longitudinal study among community dwelling older adults. Exp Gerontol. 2017;91:104–9. source

In the paper

“Thus, moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise alone or in combination with resistance training [44] over at least 12 weeks and achieving 90 min per week appears the optimal mode of delivery of structured exercise.”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  Section 4.4 (page unavailable) reports benefits from aerobic exercise alone and combined aerobic and strength training in people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. It also reports optimal effects with over 90 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per week. Although it describes a 12-week aerobic-exercise intervention, it does not establish at least 12 weeks as the optimal minimum duration. (LLM, conf=0.85)

  cites [44] Stubbs B, Vancampfort D, Hallgren M, et al. EPA guidance on physical activity as a treatment for severe mental illness: a meta-review of the evidence and Position Statement from the European Psychiatric Association (EPA), supported by the International Organization of Physical Therapists in Mental Health (IOPTMH). Eur Psychiatry. 2018;54:124–44. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“Whilst there is some encouraging evidence of the role of resistance training alone in people with depressive symptoms [106], there are very limited data available to date on exercise as a stand-alone intervention in people with MDD.”

What the sources say

• Supported

  The Discussion (page not provided) reports that, across 33 randomized trials, resistance exercise training was associated with a significant reduction in depressive symptoms, with larger reductions in participants whose scores indicated mild to moderate depression. This supports the cited clause's cautious description of encouraging evidence; the subsequent statement about stand-alone exercise in MDD is not attributed to this citation. (LLM, conf=0.92)

  cites [106] Gordon BR, McDowell CP, Hallgren M, Meyer JD, Lyons M, Herring MP. Association of efficacy of resistance exercise training with depressive symptoms: meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis of randomized clinical trials. JAMA Psychiatry. 2018;75(6):566–76. source

In the paper

“Whilst the data are encouraging for core psychiatric symptoms [34,69], this finding requires replication in large, controlled trials.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [34] Firth J, Cotter J, Elliott R, French P, Yung AR. A systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise interventions in schizophrenia patients. Psychol Med. 2015;45(7):1343–61. source
• Supported

  The Primary Outcome Measure: Clinical Symptoms section reports that exercise significantly reduced total, positive, and negative symptom severity compared with controls in people with schizophrenia. These findings support describing the data as encouraging for core psychiatric symptoms. The source does not establish the same result for serious mental illness beyond the schizophrenia spectrum. (LLM, conf=0.92)

  cites [69] Dauwan M, Begemann MJ, Heringa SM, Sommer IE. Exercise improves clinical symptoms, quality of life, global functioning, and depression in schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2016;42(3):588–99. source

In the paper

“Nonetheless, neurocognitive improvements following exercise in schizophrenia may again be linked to increased levels of BDNF [32].”

What the sources say

• Supported

  The Abstract says exercise-related cognitive benefits in schizophrenia may involve upregulation of BDNF, while cautioning that the evidence is insufficient for a definitive conclusion. The Discussion likewise reports associations between increased BDNF and cognitive improvement but says the mechanism remains unestablished. The citing sentence’s “may be linked” preserves that uncertainty. (LLM, conf=0.93)

  cites [32] Firth J, Cotter J, Carney R, Yung AR. The pro-cognitive mechanisms of physical exercise in people with schizophrenia. Br J Pharmacol. 2017;174(19):3161–72. source

In the paper

“Future interventions should also examine the role of resistance training for improving cognition in serious mental illness, since there is a clear association between increased muscular strength and cognition in people with major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia [108, 109] and evidence from the general population indicates resistance training can improve cognition [110, 111].”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [110] Li Z, Peng X, Xiang W, Han J, Li K. The effect of resistance training on cognitive function in the older adults: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2018;30(11):1259–73. source
• Supported

  The Conclusions report that resistance-training interventions were effective at improving cognitive function in adults older than 50. This supports the cited point that resistance training can improve cognition outside the serious-mental-illness populations discussed in the citing sentence. (LLM, conf=0.90)

  cites [111] Northey JM, Cherbuin N, Pumpa KL, Smee DJ, Rattray B. Exercise interventions for cognitive function in adults older than 50: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(3):154–60. source

In the paper

“To date, most evidence for exercise interventions in psychiatry is for depressive disorders-where there is relative harmony across the seven meta-analyses of RCTs that exercise is an effective add-on treatment to usual care to reduce symptoms of depression in adolescents [57,58], working age [60][61][62][63] and older adults [59].”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [57] Bailey AP, Hetrick SE, Rosenbaum S, Purcell R, Parker AG. Treating depression with physical activity in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Psychol Med. 2018;48(7):1068–83. source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [58] Carter T, Morres ID, Meade O, Callaghan P. The effect of exercise on depressive symptoms in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;55(7):580–90. source
• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites [60][61][62][63]
• Partly supported

  The Abstract Results and Discussion (page unavailable) report a significant reduction in depressive symptoms with exercise in older adults. Citation [59] is attached to the older-adults portion of the sentence, not the claims about adolescents or working-age adults. The Methods inclusion criteria allow usual care among several non-active comparators, so the paper does not establish the more specific claim that exercise was effective as an add-on to usual care. (LLM, conf=0.85)

  cites [59] Schuch FB, Vancampfort D, Rosenbaum S, et al. Exercise for depression in older adults: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials adjusting for publication bias. Rev Bras Psiquiatr. 2016;38(3):247–54. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“Whilst not the focus of this review, along with the neuropsychiatric benefits, exercise interventions can also play an important role in reducing the physical health inequalities observed in people with mental illness [44].”

What the sources say

• Supported

  Section 1.1 describes the excess physical illness and premature mortality experienced by people with severe mental illness. Section 4.2 reports that exercise improved cardiorespiratory fitness versus controls, supporting the cautious claim that exercise interventions can help address this physical-health burden. The paper does not establish that the mortality gap itself was reduced. (LLM, conf=0.86)

  cites [44] Stubbs B, Vancampfort D, Hallgren M, et al. EPA guidance on physical activity as a treatment for severe mental illness: a meta-review of the evidence and Position Statement from the European Psychiatric Association (EPA), supported by the International Organization of Physical Therapists in Mental Health (IOPTMH). Eur Psychiatry. 2018;54:124–44. source

In the paper

“Specifically, there is a plethora of evidence from the general population that exercise can reduce the risk of cardio-metabolic diseases (such as obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome [92,93]).”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  The Introduction (page not provided) describes population-level health benefits of exercise and discusses physical activity as a way to ward off chronic conditions including diabetes and heart disease. It does not address reduced risk of obesity or metabolic syndrome, the other examples attributed to this source. (LLM, conf=0.84)

  cites [92] Naci H, Ioannidis JPA. Comparative effectiveness of exercise and drug interventions on mortality outcomes: metaepidemiological study. BMJ (Clin Res Ed). 2013;347:f5577. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• Partly supported

  The Introduction (page unavailable) reports lower cardiovascular-disease risk with higher physical activity and says exercise improves waist circumference, HbA1c and other cardiometabolic risk factors. It does not report that exercise reduces the risk of developing obesity, diabetes or metabolic syndrome specifically. (LLM, conf=0.84)

  cites [93] Naci H, Salcher-Konrad M, Dias S, et al. How does exercise treatment compare with antihypertensive medications? A network meta-analysis of 391 randomised controlled trials assessing exercise and medication effects on systolic blood pressure. Br J Sports Med. 2018;53(14):859–69. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“Future interventions should also examine the role of resistance training for improving cognition in serious mental illness, since there is a clear association between increased muscular strength and cognition in people with major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia [108, 109] and evidence from the general population indicates resistance training can improve cognition [110, 111].”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  The Associations Between Handgrip Strength and Cognitive Functioning section reports that greater handgrip strength was associated with better cognitive performance in people with major depression and, across several domains, bipolar disorder. The study did not examine the claimed strength–cognition association in people with schizophrenia; its Discussion mentions only a separate, mixed-diagnosis weight-training study. (LLM, conf=0.91)

  cites [108] Firth JA, Stubbs B, et al. Association between muscular strength and cognition in people with major depression or bipolar disorder and healthy controls. JAMA Psychiatry. 2018;75(7):740–6. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• Partly supported

  The Results report an association between grip strength and cognitive performance in participants with schizophrenia. The Methods describe a general-population comparison group, but the paper does not report this association specifically for people with major depression or bipolar disorder. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

  cites [109] Firth J, Stubbs B, Vancampfort D, et al. Grip strength is associated with cognitive performance in schizophrenia and the general population: a UK Biobank study of 476,559 participants. Schizophrenia Bull. 2018;44(4):728–36. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“However, several recent studies have suggested that exercise is safe in serious mental illness [44,119].”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  Section 4.7 reports no difference in serious or non-serious adverse events between exercise and control groups in major depression. Section 4.5 reports no adverse events for walking in one schizophrenia-spectrum study, but says information on harms is scarce; sections 4.3 and 4.9 report no adverse-event information for pooled severe mental illness and bipolar disorder. These findings offer limited support for safety, not a general conclusion that exercise is safe across serious mental illness. (LLM, conf=0.86)

  cites [44] Stubbs B, Vancampfort D, Hallgren M, et al. EPA guidance on physical activity as a treatment for severe mental illness: a meta-review of the evidence and Position Statement from the European Psychiatric Association (EPA), supported by the International Organization of Physical Therapists in Mental Health (IOPTMH). Eur Psychiatry. 2018;54:124–44. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [119] Czosnek L, Lederman O, Cormie P, Zopf E, Stubbs B, Rosenbaum S. Health benefits, safety and cost of physical activity interventions for mental health conditions: a meta-review to inform translation efforts. Ment Health Phys Act. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2018.11.001 . source

In the paper

“There are recent large-scale observational [18] and Mendelian randomisation studies [124] suggesting that higher levels of PA can confer protection against mental disorders.”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  The Abstract and Discussion report a large meta-analysis of prospective observational studies associating higher physical activity with lower odds of future depression. This supports the observational-study portion of the citing sentence, but the source examines depression, not mental disorders generally. The Mendelian randomisation studies are attributed to a separate citation. (LLM, conf=0.85)

  cites [18] Schuch FB, Vancampfort D, Firth J, et al. Physical activity and incident depression: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Am J Psychiatry. 2018:appiajp201817111194. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• Partly supported

  The Abstract reports a large-scale Mendelian randomization analysis suggesting that objectively measured physical activity protects against major depressive disorder. The claim broadens that finding to mental disorders generally; the paper studied depression, and it found no significant protective relationship for self-reported activity. The separate observational-study citation is not assessed here. (LLM, conf=0.88)

  cites [124] Choi KW, Chen CY, Stein MB, et al. Assessment of bidirectional relationships between physical activity and depression among adults: a 2-sample Mendelian randomization study. JAMA Psychiatry. 2019;74(4):399–408. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“In those with anxiety and stress disorders, there was evidence that exercise was effective versus non-active interventions in reducing anxiety symptoms [33,34,69].”

What the sources say

• ?Could not verify

  The Results (Meta-Analysis of the Neurocognitive Outcomes of Exercise; page unavailable) report improved cognition in people with schizophrenia, not reduced anxiety symptoms in people with anxiety or stress disorders. Searches for anxiety and stress disorders, anxiety symptoms, and non-active interventions found no passage in our copy addressing the attributed claim. (LLM, conf=0.78)

  cites [33] Firth J, Stubbs B, Rosenbaum S, et al. Aerobic exercise improves cognitive functioning in people with schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2016;43(3):546–56. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [34] Firth J, Cotter J, Elliott R, French P, Yung AR. A systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise interventions in schizophrenia patients. Psychol Med. 2015;45(7):1343–61. source
• Partly supported

  The Type of Exercise section says physical exercise reduces state anxiety and psychological distress in people with schizophrenia. The paper does not establish the claimed effect in people with anxiety or stress disorders, or specify a comparison with non-active interventions for the anxiety outcome. The passive-control comparisons in Primary Outcome Measure: Clinical Symptoms concern schizophrenia symptom severity, not anxiety symptoms. (LLM, conf=0.86)

  cites [69] Dauwan M, Begemann MJ, Heringa SM, Sommer IE. Exercise improves clinical symptoms, quality of life, global functioning, and depression in schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2016;42(3):588–99. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“For instance, for cognitive outcomes, greater effect sizes were observed by interventions which administered higher doses of exercise (minutes per week) and were delivered by a qualified exercise professional [33].”

What the sources say

• Supported

  The Results (‘Factors Associated With Intervention Effectiveness’) report larger cognitive improvements with more exercise minutes per week and a larger observed effect size for interventions supervised by physical activity professionals. These are descriptive findings: the dose association approached statistical significance (P = .065), and the difference between supervision subgroups was not significant (P = .19). The analysis concerned people with schizophrenia. (LLM, conf=0.90)

  cites [33] Firth J, Stubbs B, Rosenbaum S, et al. Aerobic exercise improves cognitive functioning in people with schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2016;43(3):546–56. source

In the paper

“There is encouraging evidence for resistance training in people with elevated mental health symptoms [108-114], but this requires further testing in those with mental disorders.”

What the sources say

• Supported

  The Discussion (page not supplied) reports socio-occupational benefits of strength training in people with depression, including benefits from high-intensity weight training. That supports the cited clause’s cautious description of the evidence as encouraging; the paper does not itself test resistance training. (LLM, conf=0.86)

  cites [108] Firth JA, Stubbs B, et al. Association between muscular strength and cognition in people with major depression or bipolar disorder and healthy controls. JAMA Psychiatry. 2018;75(7):740–6. source
• Partly supported

  The Discussion reports cognitive improvements in single-arm strength-training studies of people with schizophrenia and suggests benefits from programs combining resistance and aerobic exercise. That is encouraging evidence, but it concerns schizophrenia samples and cognitive outcomes rather than people with elevated mental health symptoms broadly. The paper also notes that no RCTs had examined cognitive outcomes of strength training in schizophrenia. (LLM, conf=0.80)

  cites [109] Firth J, Stubbs B, Vancampfort D, et al. Grip strength is associated with cognitive performance in schizophrenia and the general population: a UK Biobank study of 476,559 participants. Schizophrenia Bull. 2018;44(4):728–36. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [110] Li Z, Peng X, Xiang W, Han J, Li K. The effect of resistance training on cognitive function in the older adults: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2018;30(11):1259–73. source
• Partly supported

  The Review and Conclusions report encouraging evidence for resistance training to improve cognitive function in adults over 50. They do not establish that the evidence applies to people with elevated mental health symptoms; the review considers baseline cognitive status instead. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.82)

  cites [111] Northey JM, Cherbuin N, Pumpa KL, Smee DJ, Rattray B. Exercise interventions for cognitive function in adults older than 50: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(3):154–60. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• ?Could not verify

  The Discussion and Clinical recommendations address antidepressants for depression in schizophrenia, not resistance training. Searches for resistance training, strength training, exercise, and elevated mental health symptoms found no passage assessing the claim. (LLM, conf=0.78)

  cites [112] Gregory A, Mallikarjun P, Upthegrove R. Treatment of depression in schizophrenia: systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Psychiatry. 2017;211(4):198–204. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [113] Vancampfort D, Rosenbaum S, Schuch FB, Ward PB, Probst M, Stubbs B. Prevalence and predictors of treatment dropout from physical activity interventions in schizophrenia: a meta-analysis. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2016;39:15–23. source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [114] Gordon BR, McDowell CP, Lyons M, Herring MP. The effects of resistance exercise training on anxiety: a meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis of randomized controlled trials. Sports Med. 2017;47(12):2521–32. source

In the paper

“It does appear from the paucity of RCTs available that aerobic exercise does improve depressive symptoms in schizophrenia [69].”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  The Secondary Outcome Measures section reports that exercise overall reduced depression in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The Discussion says the evidence for reducing depressive symptoms points more toward yoga; it does not establish the claimed improvement specifically for aerobic exercise. No page number is available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.84)

  cites [69] Dauwan M, Begemann MJ, Heringa SM, Sommer IE. Exercise improves clinical symptoms, quality of life, global functioning, and depression in schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2016;42(3):588–99. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“Given the mental health benefits, along with the clear potential for exercise to improve the poor physical health among people with schizophrenia [44], further research should now be dedicated towards establishing feasible and sustainable methods for engaging this population with moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise training in real-world settings.”

What the sources say

• Supported

  Section 4.4 (Schizophrenia-spectrum disorders) reports that aerobic exercise improved cardiorespiratory fitness compared with controls and that strength training may improve muscle strength and walking performance. These findings support the claim of potential physical-health benefits, although the section also reports mixed results for weight and other cardiometabolic measures. (LLM, conf=0.91)

  cites [44] Stubbs B, Vancampfort D, Hallgren M, et al. EPA guidance on physical activity as a treatment for severe mental illness: a meta-review of the evidence and Position Statement from the European Psychiatric Association (EPA), supported by the International Organization of Physical Therapists in Mental Health (IOPTMH). Eur Psychiatry. 2018;54:124–44. source

In the paper

“However, there is encouraging evidence of the benefits of resistance training for people with elevated symptoms of anxiety [115] and testing resistance training protocols in those with anxiety/stress disorders should be a future priority.”

What the sources say

• ?Could not verify

  The Results discuss aerobic exercise in children, not resistance training in people with elevated anxiety symptoms. They report no change in anxiety levels in the aerobic-exercise study. Searches for resistance training and anxiety or stress disorders found no passage addressing the attributed claim; the aerobic result does not establish what resistance training does. (LLM, conf=0.77)

  cites [115] Lees C, Hopkins J. Effect of aerobic exercise on cognition, academic achievement, and psychosocial function in children: a systematic review of randomized control trials. Prev Chronic Dis. 2013;10:E174. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“Nonetheless, the emerging data suggest that higher intensities of aerobic exercise may produce neuropsychiatric benefits in this population [33,34,80].”

What the sources say

• Partly supported

  The Discussion (page not provided) reports that exercise intensity was the best predictor of cognitive improvement in a schizophrenia study, which supports the tentative claim about higher intensity. The paper did not analyze intensity across its pooled trials, and this evidence does not establish broader neuropsychiatric benefits or extend to serious mental illness generally. (LLM, conf=0.82)

  cites [33] Firth J, Stubbs B, Rosenbaum S, et al. Aerobic exercise improves cognitive functioning in people with schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2016;43(3):546–56. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [34] Firth J, Cotter J, Elliott R, French P, Yung AR. A systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise interventions in schizophrenia patients. Psychol Med. 2015;45(7):1343–61. source
• Partly supported

  The Summary of Main Findings Regarding Primary Outcomes suggests that vigorous exercise may improve some outcomes in people with substance use disorders, while emphasizing that the evidence is weak. The Introduction also discusses possible psychological benefits of higher-intensity exercise. Neither passage establishes neuropsychiatric benefits of higher-intensity aerobic exercise in people with schizophrenia or serious mental illness more broadly. (LLM, conf=0.85)

  cites [80] Colledge F, Gerber M, Puhse U, Ludyga S. Anaerobic exercise training in the therapy of substance use disorders: a systematic review. Front Psychiatry. 2018;9:644. sourceExperimental — accuracy not yet measured

In the paper

“An older meta-analysis | reported that supervised | exercise does not result in | decreased BMI [82]”

What the sources say

• Supported

  The Effects of exercise training on anthropometry section (p. 9) reports improved before-and-after BMI measurements and no further anthropometric effect when supervised exercise was added to usual management. The Discussion (p. 9) likewise reports no negative impact on weight in patients with anorexia nervosa. (LLM, conf=0.92)

  cites [82] Ng LW, Ng DP, Wong WP. Is supervised exercise training safe in patients with anorexia nervosa? A meta-analysis. Physiotherapy. 2013;99(1):1–11. source

In the paper

“Overall, we identified 27 systematic reviews (including 16 meta-analyses representing 152 RCTs).”

• Also stated in: § 3 Results · plain

  “Following the full-text screening, a total of 27 articles were included.This included 16 meta-analyses of 152 RCTs in people with clinical disorders”

In the paper

“Data from one MA [34] suggest that versus control conditions, 90 min or more of MVPA reduces total, positive and improves negative symptoms.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [34] Firth J, Cotter J, Elliott R, French P, Yung AR. A systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise interventions in schizophrenia patients. Psychol Med. 2015;45(7):1343–61. source

In the paper

“Among those with MDD, we found consistent evidence (meta-analyses = 8) that exercise reduced depression in children, adults and older adults.”

• Also stated in: § Key Points · plain

  “Across 27 reviews of various conditions, it was found that exercise reduces depression in children, adults and older adults”

• Also stated in: § 3.1.2 Adolescents and Youth · plain

  “The results showed that aerobic and resistance exercise delivered over a median of 7 weeks (30-90 min, three times a week) had a moderately positive effect on symptoms of depression compared to control conditions including treatment as usual (TAU), stretching and instruction on health topics (SMD = -0.43,95% CI -0.84 to -0.02, p = 0.04, I 2 = 44%).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [58] Carter T, Morres ID, Meade O, Callaghan P. The effect of exercise on depressive symptoms in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;55(7):580–90. source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [57] Bailey AP, Hetrick SE, Rosenbaum S, Purcell R, Parker AG. Treating depression with physical activity in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Psychol Med. 2018;48(7):1068–83. source

In the paper

“children with ADHD (meta-analyses = 1)”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [68] Cerrillo-Urbina AJ, Garcia-Hermoso A, Sanchez-Lopez M, Pardo-Guijarro MJ, Santos Gomez JL, Martinez-Vizcaino V. The effects of physical exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(6):779–88. source

In the paper

“There was no benefit of aerobic exercise when compared to both treatment as usual or other active treatments for anxiety symptoms (SMD = 0.12, 95% CI -0.33 to 0.58, p = 0.60)”

• Also stated in: § 3.1.5 Anxiety and Stress-Related Disorders · plain

  “No difference was noted when stratified according to anxiety disorder type, when exercise was compared to pharmacotherapy (SMD = -0.28,95% CI -0.76 to 0.20, p = 0.25, RCTs = 2) or versus CBT (ES = -0.70,95% CI 0.03-1.38,RCT = 1).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [66] Bartley CA, Hay M, Bloch MH. Meta-analysis: aerobic exercise for the treatment of anxiety disorders. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2013;45:34–9. source

In the paper

“However, the benefits of exercise were only evident in low-quality studies (SMD = 1.176, 95% CI 0.244-2.109,p = 0.013 I 2 % = 87.64).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [60] Schuch FB, Vancampfort D, Richards J, Rosenbaum S, Ward PB, Stubbs B. Exercise as a treatment for depression: a meta-analysis adjusting for publication bias. J Psychiatr Res. 2016;77:42–51. source

In the paper

“The benefits of exercise were evident in trials that reported blinding of outcomes (g = -0.4,95% CI -0.7 to -0.11, RCTs = 10, n = 600) and an ITT analysis (g = -0.67,95% CI -0.9 to -0.44, RCTs = 12, n = 643).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [61] Kvam S, Kleppe CL, Nordhus IH, Hovland A. Exercise as a treatment for depression: a meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2016;202:67–86. source

In the paper

“positive mental health benefits were observed for exercise in people with pre/post-natal depression, anorexia nervosa/bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorders/substance use disorders.”

In the paper

“The results indicated large significant benefits when exercise interventions were supervised by qualified exercise professionals (SMD = 1.537, 95% CI 0.514-2.599,p = 0.003, I 2 % = 91.61).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [60] Schuch FB, Vancampfort D, Richards J, Rosenbaum S, Ward PB, Stubbs B. Exercise as a treatment for depression: a meta-analysis adjusting for publication bias. J Psychiatr Res. 2016;77:42–51. source

In the paper

“Aerobic exercise resulted in similar outcomes versus other active treatments including psychological treatment (g = -0.22,95% CI -0.65 to 0.21, RCTs = 3, n = 79, I 2 = 0%) and antidepressants (g = -0.08,95% CI -0.33 to 0.18, RCTs = 3, n = 236, I 2 = 0%).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [61] Kvam S, Kleppe CL, Nordhus IH, Hovland A. Exercise as a treatment for depression: a meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2016;202:67–86. source

In the paper

“positive mental health benefits were observed for exercise in people with pre/post-natal depression, anorexia nervosa/bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorders/substance use disorders.”

In the paper

“positive mental health benefits were observed for exercise in people with pre/post-natal depression, anorexia nervosa/bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorders/substance use disorders.”

In the paper

“Effects were small, but still significant, after adjusting for publication bias (g = -0.38,95% CI -0.62 to -0.13; fail-safe number 463).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [61] Kvam S, Kleppe CL, Nordhus IH, Hovland A. Exercise as a treatment for depression: a meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2016;202:67–86. source

In the paper

“but not in MDD (meta-analyses = 1)”

• Also stated in: § 3.1.1 Major Depression · hedged

  “One MA [64] including a heterogeneous cluster of interventions (including some mind-body interventions) suggests exercise cannot improve cognition or various subdomains.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [64] Brondino N, Rocchetti M, Fusar-Poli L, et al. A systematic review of cognitive effects of exercise in depression. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2017;135(4):285–95. source

In the paper

“Among those with elevated symptoms, positive mental health benefits were observed for exercise in people with pre/post-natal depression”

In the paper

“Adverse events were sparsely reported.”

In the paper

“However, in a subgroup analysis that excluded mind-body interventions and included only exercise RCTs (four trials), the exercise improved visual learning and memory (g = 0.241, 95% CI 0.005-0.478,I 2 = 68%,).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [64] Brondino N, Rocchetti M, Fusar-Poli L, et al. A systematic review of cognitive effects of exercise in depression. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2017;135(4):285–95. source

In the paper

“positive mental health benefits were observed for exercise in people with pre/post-natal depression, anorexia nervosa/bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorders/substance use disorders.”

In the paper

“One MA [68] of 5 RCTs found evidence to suggest that exercise is more effective than usual care or education in children for each of these outcomes”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [68] Cerrillo-Urbina AJ, Garcia-Hermoso A, Sanchez-Lopez M, Pardo-Guijarro MJ, Santos Gomez JL, Martinez-Vizcaino V. The effects of physical exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(6):779–88. source

In the paper

“Overall exercise improved multiple outcomes including attention (SMD = 0.84, 95% CI 0.48-1.20,I 2 = 0%), hyperactivity (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI 0.04-1.08,RCTs = 2, n = 62, I 2 = 0%), impulsivity (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI 0.04-1.08,RCTs = 2, n = 62, I 2 = 0%), anxiety symptoms (SMD = 0.66, 95% CI 0.13-1.18,RCTs = 2, n = 64, I 2 = 0%), executive function (SMD = 0.58, 95% CI 0.15-1.00,RCTs = 3, n = 102, I 2 = 8”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [68] Cerrillo-Urbina AJ, Garcia-Hermoso A, Sanchez-Lopez M, Pardo-Guijarro MJ, Santos Gomez JL, Martinez-Vizcaino V. The effects of physical exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(6):779–88. source

In the paper

“No evidence of eating disorder distress was exacerbated by exercise [72].”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [72] Moola FJGS, Amara CE. Exercise in the care of patients with anorexia nervosa: a systematic review of the literature. Ment Health Phys Act. 2013;6(2):59–68. source

In the paper

“Overall exercise improved multiple outcomes including attention (SMD = 0.84, 95% CI 0.48-1.20,I 2 = 0%), hyperactivity (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI 0.04-1.08,RCTs = 2, n = 62, I 2 = 0%), impulsivity (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI 0.04-1.08,RCTs = 2, n = 62, I 2 = 0%), anxiety symptoms (SMD = 0.66, 95% CI 0.13-1.18,RCTs = 2, n = 64, I 2 = 0%), executive function (SMD = 0.58, 95% CI 0.15-1.00,RCTs = 3, n = 102, I 2 = 8”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [68] Cerrillo-Urbina AJ, Garcia-Hermoso A, Sanchez-Lopez M, Pardo-Guijarro MJ, Santos Gomez JL, Martinez-Vizcaino V. The effects of physical exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(6):779–88. source

In the paper

“An older meta-analysis [70] (AMSTAR = 4, AMSTAR+ = 2) of people with serious mental illness (schizophrenia spectrum and bipolar disorder) suggested that exercise did not improve anxiety and depression scores combined (SMD = -0.26,95% CI -0.91 to 0.39, RCT = 3, n = 94, I 2 = 49%).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [70] Pearsall R, Smith DJ, Pelosi A, Geddes J. Exercise therapy in adults with serious mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry. 2014;14(1):1–28. source

In the paper

“Overall exercise improved multiple outcomes including attention (SMD = 0.84, 95% CI 0.48-1.20,I 2 = 0%), hyperactivity (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI 0.04-1.08,RCTs = 2, n = 62, I 2 = 0%), impulsivity (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI 0.04-1.08,RCTs = 2, n = 62, I 2 = 0%), anxiety symptoms (SMD = 0.66, 95% CI 0.13-1.18,RCTs = 2, n = 64, I 2 = 0%), executive function (SMD = 0.58, 95% CI 0.15-1.00,RCTs = 3, n = 102, I 2 = 8”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [68] Cerrillo-Urbina AJ, Garcia-Hermoso A, Sanchez-Lopez M, Pardo-Guijarro MJ, Santos Gomez JL, Martinez-Vizcaino V. The effects of physical exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(6):779–88. source

In the paper

“although compared to wait list or placebo aerobic exercise was effective (SMD = 1.42, 95% CI 0.80-2.04,p = 0.001, RCTs = 2).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [66] Bartley CA, Hay M, Bloch MH. Meta-analysis: aerobic exercise for the treatment of anxiety disorders. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2013;45:34–9. source

In the paper

“Exercise interventions varied but only interventions delivered at over 90 min of MVPA per week improved total symptoms (SMD = -0.72,95% CI -1.14 to -0.29), positive symptoms (SMD -0.54, 95% CI -0.95 to -0.13) and negative symptoms (SMD = -0.44,95% CI -0.78 to -0.09).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [34] Firth J, Cotter J, Elliott R, French P, Yung AR. A systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise interventions in schizophrenia patients. Psychol Med. 2015;45(7):1343–61. source

In the paper

“One MA [70] including three RCTs suggests that exercise is no different to usual care for anxiety and depressive symptoms”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [70] Pearsall R, Smith DJ, Pelosi A, Geddes J. Exercise therapy in adults with serious mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry. 2014;14(1):1–28. source

In the paper

“Exercise interventions varied but only interventions delivered at over 90 min of MVPA per week improved total symptoms (SMD = -0.72,95% CI -1.14 to -0.29), positive symptoms (SMD -0.54, 95% CI -0.95 to -0.13) and negative symptoms (SMD = -0.44,95% CI -0.78 to -0.09).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [34] Firth J, Cotter J, Elliott R, French P, Yung AR. A systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise interventions in schizophrenia patients. Psychol Med. 2015;45(7):1343–61. source

In the paper

“Exercise interventions varied but only interventions delivered at over 90 min of MVPA per week improved total symptoms (SMD = -0.72,95% CI -1.14 to -0.29), positive symptoms (SMD -0.54, 95% CI -0.95 to -0.13) and negative symptoms (SMD = -0.44,95% CI -0.78 to -0.09).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [34] Firth J, Cotter J, Elliott R, French P, Yung AR. A systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise interventions in schizophrenia patients. Psychol Med. 2015;45(7):1343–61. source

In the paper

“Overall exercise improved multiple outcomes including attention (SMD = 0.84, 95% CI 0.48-1.20,I 2 = 0%), hyperactivity (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI 0.04-1.08,RCTs = 2, n = 62, I 2 = 0%), impulsivity (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI 0.04-1.08,RCTs = 2, n = 62, I 2 = 0%), anxiety symptoms (SMD = 0.66, 95% CI 0.13-1.18,RCTs = 2, n = 64, I 2 = 0%), executive function (SMD = 0.58, 95% CI 0.15-1.00,RCTs = 3, n = 102, I 2 = 8”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [68] Cerrillo-Urbina AJ, Garcia-Hermoso A, Sanchez-Lopez M, Pardo-Guijarro MJ, Santos Gomez JL, Martinez-Vizcaino V. The effects of physical exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(6):779–88. source

In the paper

“The authors reported two studies which found that exercise reduced eating disorder symptoms (e.g. less food preoccupation) following exercise participation.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [72] Moola FJGS, Amara CE. Exercise in the care of patients with anorexia nervosa: a systematic review of the literature. Ment Health Phys Act. 2013;6(2):59–68. source

In the paper

“One MA [68] of 5 RCTs found evidence to suggest that exercise is more effective than usual care or education in children for each of these outcomes”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [68] Cerrillo-Urbina AJ, Garcia-Hermoso A, Sanchez-Lopez M, Pardo-Guijarro MJ, Santos Gomez JL, Martinez-Vizcaino V. The effects of physical exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(6):779–88. source

In the paper

“One MA [68] of 5 RCTs found evidence to suggest that exercise is more effective than usual care or education in children for each of these outcomes”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [68] Cerrillo-Urbina AJ, Garcia-Hermoso A, Sanchez-Lopez M, Pardo-Guijarro MJ, Santos Gomez JL, Martinez-Vizcaino V. The effects of physical exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(6):779–88. source

In the paper

“One MA [68] of 5 RCTs found evidence to suggest that exercise is more effective than usual care or education in children for each of these outcomes”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [68] Cerrillo-Urbina AJ, Garcia-Hermoso A, Sanchez-Lopez M, Pardo-Guijarro MJ, Santos Gomez JL, Martinez-Vizcaino V. The effects of physical exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(6):779–88. source

In the paper

“Six studies found psychological wellbeing improved following participation in exercise.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [72] Moola FJGS, Amara CE. Exercise in the care of patients with anorexia nervosa: a systematic review of the literature. Ment Health Phys Act. 2013;6(2):59–68. source

In the paper

“We did not find any meta-analyses that focussed on exercise RCTs with clinically diagnosed bipolar disorder, eating disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, pre/post-natal depression, alcohol use disorders or substance use disorders.”

In the paper

“Overall exercise improved multiple outcomes including attention (SMD = 0.84, 95% CI 0.48-1.20,I 2 = 0%), hyperactivity (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI 0.04-1.08,RCTs = 2, n = 62, I 2 = 0%), impulsivity (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI 0.04-1.08,RCTs = 2, n = 62, I 2 = 0%), anxiety symptoms (SMD = 0.66, 95% CI 0.13-1.18,RCTs = 2, n = 64, I 2 = 0%), executive function (SMD = 0.58, 95% CI 0.15-1.00,RCTs = 3, n = 102, I 2 = 8”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [68] Cerrillo-Urbina AJ, Garcia-Hermoso A, Sanchez-Lopez M, Pardo-Guijarro MJ, Santos Gomez JL, Martinez-Vizcaino V. The effects of physical exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(6):779–88. source

In the paper

“One MA [68] of 5 RCTs found evidence to suggest that exercise is more effective than usual care or education in children for each of these outcomes”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [68] Cerrillo-Urbina AJ, Garcia-Hermoso A, Sanchez-Lopez M, Pardo-Guijarro MJ, Santos Gomez JL, Martinez-Vizcaino V. The effects of physical exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(6):779–88. source

In the paper

“One MA [68] of 5 RCTs found evidence to suggest that exercise is more effective than usual care or education in children for each of these outcomes”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [68] Cerrillo-Urbina AJ, Garcia-Hermoso A, Sanchez-Lopez M, Pardo-Guijarro MJ, Santos Gomez JL, Martinez-Vizcaino V. The effects of physical exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(6):779–88. source

In the paper

“Exercise was found to be associated with less depressive symptoms and there was a lack of clarity with mania symptoms.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [71] Melo MC, Daher Ede F, Albuquerque SG, de Bruin VM. Exercise in bipolar patients: a systematic review. J Affect Disord. 2016;198:32–8. source

In the paper

“Exercise was found to be associated with less depressive symptoms and there was a lack of clarity with mania symptoms.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [71] Melo MC, Daher Ede F, Albuquerque SG, de Bruin VM. Exercise in bipolar patients: a systematic review. J Affect Disord. 2016;198:32–8. source

In the paper

“First, we found relatively consistent evidence across eight meta-analyses [57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64] that structured moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise can have a positive impact on symptoms of depression as an add-on treatment in adolescents, working age and older adults.”

What the sources say

• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites [57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64]

In the paper

“Compared to control conditions, exercise was effective in reducing depressive symptoms (SMD = -0.64,95% CI -0.96 to -0.33, p < 0.001).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [76] Carter T, Bastounis A, Guo B, Jane Morrell C. The effectiveness of exercise-based interventions for preventing or treating postpartum depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2018;22:37–53. source

In the paper

“Evidence from RCTs found that exercise interventions, compared to no exercise, decreased the severity of prenatal depressive symptoms (13 RCTs, n = 1076; SMD = -0.38,95% CI -0.51 to -0.25,I 2 = 10%), and reduced the odds of prenatal depression by 67% (5 RCTs, n = 683; OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.21-0.53,I 2 = 0%).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [78] Davenport MH, McCurdy AP, Mottola MF, et al. Impact of prenatal exercise on both prenatal and postnatal anxiety and depressive symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(21):1376–85. source

In the paper

“Among the RCTs, it was found that the number of BE episodes was significantly reduced with exercise compared to other interventions, and a significant decrease in depressive symptoms was also found when accompanied by the treatment of binge eating disorder.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [73] Blanchet C, Mathieu ME, St-Laurent A, Fecteau S, St-Amour N, Drapeau V. A systematic review of physical activity interventions in individuals with binge eating disorders. Curr Obes Rep. 2018;7(1):76–88. source

In the paper

“Despite the increasing evidence base for the positive effects of exercise on mental health symptoms in people with mental disorders, relatively little has been established in humans about the underlying mechanisms.”

In the paper

“There is some tentative evidence that supervised exercise may be helpful for people with AN [72] without negatively impacting BMI [82] and may help improve ED symptoms in bulimia nervosa [72] whilst also potentially reducing binge eating disorder symptomology and depressive symptoms and improving psychological wellbeing in binge eating disorders [71].”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [72] Moola FJGS, Amara CE. Exercise in the care of patients with anorexia nervosa: a systematic review of the literature. Ment Health Phys Act. 2013;6(2):59–68. source

In the paper

“The review [83] also found that longer-term exercise may exert its antidepressant effect by promoting long-term adaptations of copeptin, thiobarbituric acid reactive species and total mean frequency.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [83] Schuch FB, Deslandes AC, Stubbs B, Gosmann NP, Silva CT, Fleck MP. Neurobiological effects of exercise on major depressive disorder: a systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2016;61:1–11. source

In the paper

“Preliminary evidence also suggests that compared to controls, interventions with exercise are significantly more effective at decreasing depressive symptoms in people experiencing PTSD.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [75] Rosenbaum S, Vancampfort D, Steel Z, Newby J, Ward PB, Stubbs B. Physical activity in the treatment of Post-traumatic stress disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Res. 2015;230(2):130–6. source

In the paper

“Although two of the included studies investigated the impact of yoga, data from two of the pooled trials utilising combined aerobic and resistance, and aerobiconly exercises, provided promising evidence that exercise can significantly reduce PTSD symptoms, compared to control conditions.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [75] Rosenbaum S, Vancampfort D, Steel Z, Newby J, Ward PB, Stubbs B. Physical activity in the treatment of Post-traumatic stress disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Res. 2015;230(2):130–6. source

In the paper

“Among the RCTs, it was found that the number of BE episodes was significantly reduced with exercise compared to other interventions, and a significant decrease in depressive symptoms was also found when accompanied by the treatment of binge eating disorder.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [73] Blanchet C, Mathieu ME, St-Laurent A, Fecteau S, St-Amour N, Drapeau V. A systematic review of physical activity interventions in individuals with binge eating disorders. Curr Obes Rep. 2018;7(1):76–88. source

In the paper

“However, a preliminary meta-analysis [86] of only 6 RCTs and 176 participants found that longer-term changes in BDNF fell short of significance (SMD = 0.43, 95% CI -0.06-0.92,p = 0.09).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [86] Dinoff A, Herrmann N, Swardfager W, Gallagher D, Lanctot KL. The effect of exercise on resting concentrations of peripheral brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in major depressive disorder: a meta-analysis. J Psychiatr Res. 2018;105:123–31. source

In the paper

“Third, the data indicate that moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise can have a positive impact on multiple outcomes in children with ADHD [68].”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [68] Cerrillo-Urbina AJ, Garcia-Hermoso A, Sanchez-Lopez M, Pardo-Guijarro MJ, Santos Gomez JL, Martinez-Vizcaino V. The effects of physical exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(6):779–88. source

In the paper

“In 64 women (age range = 18-29 years, BMI = 20.3kg/m 2 ), exercisers reported 18 months post-intervention significantly less binges and vomiting compared to control interventions that included cognitive behavioural therapy and nutritional counselling.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [74] Vancampfort D, Vanderlinden J, De Hert M, et al. A systematic review of physical therapy interventions for patients with anorexia and bulemia nervosa. Disabil Rehabil. 2014;36(8):628–34. source

In the paper

“This lack of clarity is perhaps exemplified by the most densely researched area of exercise and MDD where a recent systematic review [83] found tentative evidence that acute (i.e. a single bout) exercise may exert its antidepressant effect by increasing atrial natriuretic peptide, brain natriuretic peptide, copeptin and growth hormone among people with MDD.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [83] Schuch FB, Deslandes AC, Stubbs B, Gosmann NP, Silva CT, Fleck MP. Neurobiological effects of exercise on major depressive disorder: a systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2016;61:1–11. source

In the paper

“Evidence from RCTs found that exercise interventions, compared to no exercise, decreased the severity of prenatal depressive symptoms (13 RCTs, n = 1076; SMD = -0.38,95% CI -0.51 to -0.25,I 2 = 10%), and reduced the odds of prenatal depression by 67% (5 RCTs, n = 683; OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.21-0.53,I 2 = 0%).”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [78] Davenport MH, McCurdy AP, Mottola MF, et al. Impact of prenatal exercise on both prenatal and postnatal anxiety and depressive symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(21):1376–85. source

In the paper

“This Cochrane review [64] was heavily criticised for multiple methodological and selection biases [102].”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [102] Ekkekakis P. Honey, I shrunk the pooled SMD! Guide to critical appraisal of systematic reviews and meta-analyses using the Cochrane review on exercise for depression as example. Ment Health Phys Act. 2015;8:21–36. source

In the paper

“This is particularly relevant to psychiatric populations, as people with mental illness are significantly less active and more sedentary than the general population [94], and this has been identified as a transdiagnostic risk factor for the elevated cardio-metabolic risk [95][96][97].”

What the sources say

• ?Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  cites [95][96][97]

In the paper

“Among people with MDD, one meta-analysis [64] found that aerobic exercise had no main effects on cognitive functioning.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [64] Brondino N, Rocchetti M, Fusar-Poli L, et al. A systematic review of cognitive effects of exercise in depression. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2017;135(4):285–95. source

In the paper

“Kvam et al. [61] and another meta-analysis [103] published after our search date found that aerobic exercise was more effective than control conditions for depressive symptoms in MDD in RCTs at low risk of bias.”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [61] Kvam S, Kleppe CL, Nordhus IH, Hovland A. Exercise as a treatment for depression: a meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2016;202:67–86. source
• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [103] Morres ID, Hatzigeorgiadis A, Stathi A, et al. Aerobic exercise for adult patients with major depressive disorder in mental health services: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Depress Anxiety. 2019;36(1):39–53. source

In the paper

“Whilst there is some encouraging evidence of the role of resistance training alone in people with depressive symptoms [106], there are very limited data available to date on exercise as a stand-alone intervention in people with MDD.”

In the paper

“For optimal outcomes in MDD, it appears that supervised exercise interventions tailored to the individual have larger effect sizes [60].”

What the sources say

• ?Not checked — no full text of the sourcecites [60] Schuch FB, Vancampfort D, Richards J, Rosenbaum S, Ward PB, Stubbs B. Exercise as a treatment for depression: a meta-analysis adjusting for publication bias. J Psychiatr Res. 2016;77:42–51. source