title: An examination of the anxiolytic effects of exercise for people with anxiety and stress-related disorders: A meta-analysis.
abstract: The literature regarding exercise for people with established anxiety disorders is equivocal. To address this issue, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the benefits of exercise compared to usual treatment or control conditions in people with an anxiety and/or stress-related disorders. Major electronic databases were searched from inception until December/2015 and a random effect meta-analysis conducted. Altogether, six randomized control trials (RCTs) including 262 adults (exercise n=132, 34.74 [9.6] years; control n=130, 37.34 [10.0] years) were included. Exercise significantly decreased anxiety symptoms more than control conditions, with a moderate effect size (Standardized Mean Difference=-0.582, 95%CI -1.0 to -0.76, p=0.02). Our data suggest that exercise is effective in improving anxiety symptoms in people with a current diagnosis of anxiety and/ or stress-related disorders. Taken together with the wider benefits of exercise on wellbeing and cardiovascular health, these findings reinforce exercise as an important treatment option in people with anxiety/stress disorders.
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ, United Kingdom; Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Brendon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stubbs
authors.affiliation: Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom; KU Leuven - University of Leuven Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Davy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vancampfort
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Z.org Leuven, campus Kortenberg, Kortenberg, Belgium.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rosenbaum
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Firth
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain, Behaviour and Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Theodore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cosco
authors.affiliation: MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, 33 Bedford Place, London WC1B 5JU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Veronese
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Section, University of Padova, Italy; Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Médicas: Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giovanni A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Salum
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Centro Universitário La Salle, Canoas, Brazil. Electronic address: felipe.schuch@unilasalle.edu.br.
authors.forename: Felipe B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Schuch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents
keywords: Anxiety; Exercise; Physical activity; Stress