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Cited by 251Physical Activity and HealthMental Health Treatment and AccessSchizophrenia research and treatment

Physical activity, exercise, and mental disorders: it is time to move on

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Schuch, Felipe Barreto, Vancampfort, Davy·2021·Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
DOI 10.47626/2237-6089-2021-0237PMC PMC8638711
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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Physical activity, conceptualized as any bodily movement that results in energy expenditure, and its structured form, exercise, play an important role in public health, preventing and treating a wide range of physical conditions, including metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and obesity. OBJECTIVE: This article aims to provide a brief overview and summary of the evidence on: 1) the preventive effects of physical activity on a wide range of mental disorders; 2) the role of physical activity in promoting the physical health of people with mental disorders; 3) the role of exercise as a strategy to manage mental health symptoms in a range of mental disorders; and 4) the challenges and barriers faced when implementing exercise in clinical practice. METHODS: This was a narrative review. RESULTS: Compelling evidence has demonstrated that physical activity and exercise can also prevent common mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety disorders, and have multiple beneficial effects on the physical and mental health of people with a wide range of mental disorders. This body of evidence has been incorporated in national and international guidelines over the last decades, which have recommended the inclusion of physical activity and exercise as therapeutic approaches for mental disorders, mainly for depression and schizophrenia. Nonetheless, implementation into clinical practice has been slow, probably due to barriers associated both with patients and mental health professionals. CONCLUSION: Increases in physical activity levels in populations are likely to reduce the mental health burden. Exercise interventions should be incorporated to the routine care of people with mental disorders due its multiple benefits on physical and mental health outcomes. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to overcome patients barriers and enhance adherence and benefits.

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  • Postnatal women may particularly benefit from exercise.

    “That postnatal women may particularly benefit from exercise is especially significant given the high prevalence and potential severity of postpartum depression 143”

    From Effect of exercise on depression and anxiety symptoms: systematic umbrella review with meta-meta-analysis (2026) · cites this paper as [145]

    The section on the effects of exercise on mental health symptoms (page unavailable) reports reduced depressive symptoms in people with depression. It does not address postnatal women or establish that they particularly benefit; searches for postnatal, postpartum, and perinatal terms found no such passage. (LLM, conf=0.78)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Exercise is a low-risk, high-benefit strategy for improving maternal mental health during the postnatal period.

    “underscoring the potential of exercise as a low-risk, high-benefit strategy for improving maternal mental health during this vulnerable period 144 145 .”

    From Effect of exercise on depression and anxiety symptoms: systematic umbrella review with meta-meta-analysis (2026) · cites this paper as [145]

    The section on mental health symptoms reports that exercise reduces depressive symptoms in people with depression. It does not establish that exercise improves maternal mental health specifically during the postnatal period or that it is low-risk in that setting. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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References 80 · Cited by 251

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Authors
Schuch, F. B., & Vancampfort, D.
Affiliations
  • Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (BR)
  • KU Leuven (BE)
Corresponding author
Schuch, Felipe Barreto
ORCID
Venue
Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
Publisher
EDITORA SCIENTIFIC
Published
2021
Volume
43
Issue
3
Pages
177-184
ISSN
  • 2237-6089 (ISSN-L)
  • 2238-0019
DOI
10.47626/2237-6089-2021-0237
PMC
PMC8638711
OpenAlex
W3154472286
Cited by
251
References
80
Citations by year
2026: 35 · 2025: 80 · 2024: 74 · 2023: 49 · 2022: 13
FWCI
21.37
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Lirias (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
Keywords
physical activity, mental illness, depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, exercise intervention, implementation barriers, clinical practice, adherence, multidisciplinary care
MeSH terms
Anxiety Disorders, Mental Disorders, Humans, Mental Health, Schizophrenia, Exercise

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