Cardio activities such as running, swimming, and dancing appear to be particularly effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. This conclusion comes from a large-scale (umbrella) review and data synthesis published online British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The analysis found that exercise done in a supervised or group setting may provide the greatest benefits for people with depression. For anxiety, short programs lasting up to 8 weeks and involving low-intensity activity may be most helpful.
However, all types of exercise tested performed equally well as or better than drug and conversation therapies. These effects were seen regardless of age or gender.
Depression and anxiety affect millions of people around the world
According to researchers, depression and anxiety affect 1 in 4 people globally, with young people and women experiencing the highest rates. Previous studies have already suggested that physical activity compares favorably with psychotherapy and medication for reducing symptoms.
Still, important questions remained. It is not fully understood how exercise works at different age groups, intensity levels or frequencies. Furthermore, many previous large reviews focused only on adults or included participants with other health conditions that could have influenced the results.
To address these gaps, researchers decided to evaluate how exercise affects depression and anxiety across the lifespan. They also examined whether factors such as type of exercise, duration, frequency, intensity, supervision, and whether it was done individually or in groups affected the results.
How researchers analyzed the evidence
The team searched research databases for pooled data analysis of randomized controlled trials published in English up to July 2025. These trials compared structured exercise programs with other activities, placebo, or no active treatment.
Eligible studies included planned, structured, repetitive and purposeful physical activity aimed at improving physical and mental health. All types of exercise at different intensities, frequencies and settings (individual or group) were included.
Conclusion for depression
For depression, the umbrella synthesis included 57 pooled data analyses, covering 800 individual studies and 57,930 participants between the ages of 10 and 90.
Participants either had a clinical diagnosis of depression or were experiencing depressive symptoms but did not have other co-existing conditions. Exercise programs were classified as aerobic (19 pooled data analyzed); strength exercises such as resistance training (8); mind-body exercises including yoga, tai chi, and qigong (16); or hybrid programs that combine multiple formats (39).
Conclusion for anxiety
For anxiety, the review included 258 individual studies and 24 pooled data analyzes representing 19,368 participants aged 18 to 67 years. Exercise interventions were grouped into aerobic (7); Resistance (1); mind-body (9); or mixed (13).
When the results were combined, exercise led to a medium-sized reduction in depression symptoms and a small to medium-sized reduction in anxiety symptoms. The strongest improvements were seen among young adults ages 18 to 30 and women who have recently given birth to a child.
What type of exercise worked best
All exercise formats were associated with improvements in mental health. For depression, aerobic activity, especially when done in a supervised or group setting, has the greatest benefits. The anxiety, aerobic, resistance, mind-body and mixed exercise programs each had medium-sized positive effects.
Overall, the benefits of exercise were comparable to, and in some cases even greater than, those of drug or conversation therapies.
Limitations and conclusions of the study
The researchers acknowledge several limitations. Definitions of exercise intensity and program length varied across pooled data analyses. There was also relatively limited data examining the effects of exercise at every stage of life.
Despite these limitations, they concluded: “This meta-meta-analysis provides strong evidence that exercise effectively reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety in all age groups, equal to or greater than traditional pharmacological or psychological interventions.
“Group and supervised formats provided the most significant benefits, underscoring the importance of social factors in mental health interventions. With evidence that different characteristics of exercise affect depression and anxiety to different magnitudes, tailored exercise programs should be prescribed.”
They say: “Given the cost-effectiveness, accessibility, and additional physical health benefits of exercise, these results underscore the potential of exercise as a first-line intervention, particularly in settings where traditional mental health treatments may be less accessible or acceptable.”
