Physical activity as a therapeutic approach for depression and anxiety disorders

A systematic review with meta-analysis from 2025 examines the effectiveness of aerobic training, resistance training and combined exercise programs in adult patients diagnosed with depressive or anxiety disorders. The analysis includes 32 randomized controlled trials, 26 of which were included in the meta-analysis. The results consistently show that physical activity can reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms, regardless of whether the interventions contain aerobic, strength-oriented or combined elements. The authors situate these findings within the existing research and at the same time highlight the structural and methodological challenges that were evident in the included studies.