ImportanceDepression is the second most prevalent mental disorder among children and adolescents, yet only a small proportion seek or receive disorder-specific treatment. Physical activity interventions hold promise as an alternative or adjunctive approach to clinical treatment for depression.ObjectiveTo determine the association of physical activity interventions with depressive symptoms in children and adolescents.Data SourcesPubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and SPORTDiscus were searched from inception to February 2022 for relevant studies written in English, Chinese, or Italian.Study SelectionTwo independent researchers selected studies that assessed the effects of physical activity interventions on depressive symptoms in children and adolescents compared with a control condition.Data Extraction and SynthesisA random-effects meta-analysis using Hedges g was performed. Heterogeneity, risk of bias, and publication bias were assessed independently by multiple reviewers. Meta-regressions and sensitivity analyses were conducted to substantiate the overall results. The study followed the PRISMA reporting guideline.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe main outcome was depressive symptoms as measured by validated depression scales at postintervention and follow-up.ResultsTwenty-one studies involving 2441 participants (1148 [47.0%] boys; 1293 [53.0%] girls; mean [SD] age, 14 [3] years) were included. Meta-analysis of the postintervention differences revealed that physical activity interventions were associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms compared with the control condition (g = −0.29; 95% CI, −0.47 to −0.10; P = .004). Analysis of the follow-up outcomes in 4 studies revealed no differences between the physical activity and control groups (g = −0.39; 95% CI, −1.01 to 0.24; P = .14). Moderate study heterogeneity was detected (Q = 53.92; df = 20; P < .001; I2 = 62.9% [95% CI, 40.7%-76.8%]). The primary moderator analysis accounting for total physical activity volume, study design, participant health status, and allocation and/or assessment concealment did not moderate the main treatment effect. Secondary analyses demonstrated that intervention (ie, <12 weeks in duration, 3 times per week, unsupervised) and participant characteristics (ie, aged ≥13 years, with a mental illness and/or depression diagnosis) may influence the overall treatment effect.Conclusions and RelevancePhysical activity interventions may be used to reduce depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. Greater reductions in depressive symptoms were derived from participants older than 13 years and with a mental illness and/or depression diagnosis. The association with physical activity parameters such as frequency, duration, and supervision of the sessions remains unclear and needs further investigation.

Background: The World Health Organization physical activity guidelines recommend adults and older adults to accumulate at least 150–300 min of moderate or 75–150 min of vigorous aerobic-type physical activity weekly for health benefits including improvements of cognitive performance. However, the optimal exercise intensity and frequency for maximizing the cognitive benefits remain unclear.Purpose: We conducted a parallel, assessor-blinded, pilot randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of different intensities and frequencies of the WHO-recommended minimal volume of aerobic-type physical activity on improving cognitive performance in middle-aged and older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).Methods: Participants were randomly allocated to the stretching exercise control group (CON), once-a-week and thrice-a-week moderate-intensity walking groups (M1 and M3), and once-a-week and thrice-a-week vigorous-intensity walking groups (V1 and V3). Intervention duration was 12 weeks. The primary outcome was global cognitive performance assessed by the Hong Kong version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Secondary outcomes were self-report and objective cognitive performances, mental health, sleep quality, and cardiorespiratory fitness.Results: Thirty-seven participants completed the study (CON: n = 7, M1: n = 7, M3: n = 7, V1: n = 8, V3: n = 8). Participants in all four walking exercise groups demonstrated significant improvements in global cognitive performance assessed by the Hong Kong version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment after the intervention when compared to CON (p < 0.001). The walking exercise interventions also significantly mitigated the anxiety severity (p < 0.005) and improved the cardiorespiratory fitness (p < 0.05) of the participants in the walking exercise groups.Conclusion: 150-min moderate- or 75-min vigorous-intensity walking exercise performed once- or thrice-weekly showed similar effects on improving cognitive performance in middle-aged and older adults with MCI. The 12-week walking exercise interventions also reduced anxiety severity and improved cardiorespiratory fitness of the participants.Clinical Trial Registration:clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT04515563

BackgroundThe effects of exercise frequency and intensity on alleviating depressive symptoms in older adults with insomnia are unclear.PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of different exercise frequencies and intensities on prescribed aerobic-type physical activity (i.e., 75 min of vigorous-intensity exercise or 150 min of moderate-intensity exercise weekly) for reducing depressive symptoms in older adults living with insomnia, as recommended by the WHO.DesignThis study is a randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded trial.SettingThis study is conducted at a single research site in Hong Kong.ParticipantsThis study includes older adults aged 50 years or above with depressive symptoms and insomnia.InterventionParticipants were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1:1:1 ratio to the following groups: attention control (CON), moderate walking once weekly (MOD × 1/week), moderate walking thrice weekly (MOD × 3/week), vigorous walking once weekly (VIG × 1/week), and vigorous walking thrice weekly (VIG × 3/week). The total weekly exercise volumes among the walking groups were matched to the minimum recommended physical activity volume.MeasurementsDepression, anxiety, self-perceived sleep quality, insomnia severity, actigraphy-assessed 7-day sleep data, 7-day sleep diary, cardiorespiratory fitness, adherence, and habitual physical activity were examined at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention.ResultsBoth MOD × 3/week and VIG × 3/week groups demonstrated reduced depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] – Depression: MOD × 3/wk: −68.6%; VIG × 3/week: −67.4%) and anxiety levels (HADS – Anxiety: MOD × 3/week: −54.3%; VIG × 3/week: −59.8%) compared with CON (both p < 0.01). Self-perceived sleep quality was improved in MOD × 3/week (−31.4% of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), VIG × 1/week (−34.1% of PSQI), and VIG × 3/week (−38.3% of PSQI), but not in MOD × 1/week, when compared with CON (p < 0.05). No serious adverse events were observed in this study.ConclusionThe effects of walking training on reducing depressive symptoms appeared to be dependent on exercise frequency. Our findings suggest that three sessions of walking per week at either moderate or vigorous-intensity effectively alleviate depressive symptoms in older adults with insomnia. Additional research is needed to further verify the effects of exercise frequency on depression.Clinical Trial Registration[ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT04354922].

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