title: Feasibility of exercise training for the short-term treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exercise training may be especially helpful for patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). We conducted a randomized controlled trial to quantify the effects of 6 weeks of resistance (RET) or aerobic exercise training (AET) on remission and worry symptoms among sedentary patients with GAD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty sedentary women aged 18-37 years, diagnosed by clinicians blinded to treatment allocation with a primary DSM-IV diagnosis of GAD and not engaged in any treatment other than pharmacotherapy, were randomly allocated to RET, AET, or a wait list (WL). RET involved 2 weekly sessions of lower-body weightlifting. AET involved 2 weekly sessions of leg cycling matched with RET for body region, positive work, time actively engaged in exercise, and load progression. Remission was measured by the number needed to treat (NNT). Worry symptoms were measured by the Penn State Worry Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no adverse events. Remission rates were 60%, 40%, and 30% for RET, AET, and WL, respectively. The NNT was 3 (95% CI 2 to 56) for RET and 10 (95% CI -7 to 3) for AET. A significant condition-by-time interaction was found for worry symptoms. A follow-up contrast showed significant reductions in worry symptoms for combined exercise conditions versus the WL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exercise training, including RET, is a feasible, low-risk treatment that can potentially reduce worry symptoms among GAD patients and may be an effective adjuvant, short-term treatment or augmentation for GAD. Preliminary findings warrant further investigation.
authors: Department of Kinesiology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Ga., USA. mattpherring@gmail.com
authors: Matthew P
authors: MP
authors: Herring
authors: Marni L
authors: ML
authors: Jacob
authors: Cynthia
authors: C
authors: Suveg
authors: Rodney K
authors: RK
authors: Dishman
authors: Patrick J
authors: PJ
authors: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D061366:Numbers Needed To Treat; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012074:Remission Induction; D055070:Resistance Training / Q000379:methods; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014850:Waiting Lists; D055815:Young Adult