Exercise improves cardiorespiratory fitness in people with depression: a meta-analysis of randomized control trials
Abstract
Objective Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. CRF improves in response to exercise interventions, yet the effectiveness of such interventions to improve CRF among people with depression is unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate whether CRF improves in people with depression in exercise randomized control trials (RCTs).Method Three authors identified RCTs from a recent Cochrane review and conducted updated searches of major electronic databases. We included RCTs of exercise interventions in people with depression (including major depressive disorder (MDD) and above-threshold depressive symptoms) that reported CRF (defined as predicted maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max predicted) or peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak)) versus a control condition. A random effects meta-analysis was conducted.Results Seven unique RCTs including 8 aerobic exercise interventions for depression were eligible, including 293 people allocated to exercise (mean age=40.3 years, range=27.2-64.7 years and 35-100% female) and 205 allocated to control conditions. Across all studies exercise results in a significant increase in CRF (g=0.64, 95%CI=0.32-0.96, p<0.001) equating to a mean increase of 3.05 ml/kg/min. Results remained significant when restricted to MDD only (N=5, g=0.41, 95%CI=0.18-0.64, p<0.001) and in high quality studies (N=5, g=0.60, 95%CI=0.19-1.00, p=0.004).Conclusions People with depression can achieve clinically relevant improvements in CRF in response to exercise interventions. Targeting 'fitness' rather than 'fatness' may be another feasible intervention strategy in this population.
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A review of e-Health for people with depression found that online lifestyle interventions can have positive effects on alcohol use, sleep, and physical activity.
“Furthermore, a review of e-Health for people with depression found that online lifestyle interventions can have positive effects on various health behaviours, including alcohol use, sleep, and physical activity.343”
From The Lancet Psychiatry Commission: a blueprint for protecting physical health in people with mental illness (2019) · cites this paper as [343]
Aerobic exercise improves cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with depression.
“Aerobic exercise also improves quality of life [98] and cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with depression [99].”
From The effects of exercise on sleep in unipolar depression: a systematic review and network meta-analysis (2021) · cites this paper as [99]
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- Authors
- Stubbs, B., Rosenbaum, S., Vancampfort, D., Ward, P. B., & Schuch, F. B.
- Affiliations
- National Health Service (GB)
- UNSW Sydney (AU)
- KU Leuven (BE)
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (BR)
- Corresponding author
- Stubbs, Brendon
- Venue
- Journal of Affective Disorders
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-01
- Volume
- 190
- Pages
- 249-253
- ISSN
- 0165-0327 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2172569729
- Cited by
- 163
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 16
- FWCI
- 2.24
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Affective Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- Lirias (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiac Health and Mental Health
- Keywords
- cardiorespiratory fitness, depression, major depressive disorder, aerobic exercise, exercise intervention, VO2max, peak oxygen uptake, cardiovascular health
- MeSH terms
- Depression, Major Depressive Disorder, Humans, Physical Fitness, Exercise, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
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