Can physical activity protect against depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic? A rapid systematic review

Wolf, Sebastian; Zeibig, Johanna; Seiffer, Britta; Welkerling, Jana; Brokmeier, Luisa Leonie; Atrott, Beatrice; Ehring, Thomas; Schuch, Felipe Barreto

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-81150/v1

Cited by 17 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…The purpose of the current study was to examine associations between physical activity, mental health, and mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic. In line with emerging literature (47), individuals who maintained their levels of physical activity demonstrated less psychological disturbance. Results indicate a positive association between changes in MVPA and mental health, where those who experienced the greatest decline in MVPA reported relatively greater psychological distress and lower life satisfaction.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

“…A significant body of research conducted prior to COVID indicates a positive relationship between mental health and physical activity (6,7,13). The results of the current study and the greater literature (47,48) suggest that such associations hold true during a period of pandemic and significant socioeconomic disruption. Indeed, given both the extent and severity of disruptions, it is remarkable that a significant proportion of depressive symptomatology -7.7% of variance accounted forwas associated with MVPA.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 50%

“…Our findings are consistent with those reported in a rapid review that has not yet undergone peer review. Wolf et al (47) reviewed evidence examining the association between physical activity and depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. They identified a total of 21 observational studies (four longitudinal, one cross-sectional with retrospective analysis, and 16 cross-sectional).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Strange Days: Adult Physical Activity and Mental Health in the First Two Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Gierc

Riazi

Fagan

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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Background: In addition to its physical health benefits, physical activity is increasingly recognized as a means to support mental health. Regular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is associated with improved mental well-being, reduced likelihood of developing mental illness, and improved symptom management. Despite these benefits, most people fail to achieve minimum recommended levels of MVPA. Population levels of physical activity have further declined since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and implementation of public health measures (e.g., shelter-in-place protocols). The potential impact of this decline on mental heath outcomes warrants ongoing investigation.Purpose: To investigate associations between changes in MVPA and mental health (depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and life satisfaction) in adults impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.Method: Research followed a cross-sectional design. English-speaking adults were invited to complete an online questionnaire. MVPA was assessed retrospectively (before COVID-19) and currently (during COVID-19) with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Mental health was assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire, 9-Item (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder, 7-Item (GAD-7), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Regression was used to assess relationships between MVPA and mental health. ANOVA with follow-up tests examined whether participants who differed in mental health status (e.g., no symptoms vs. severe symptoms) differed in their change in MVPA. T-tests were used to examine differences in mental health symptomatology between participants who were sufficiently (i.e., achieving MVPA guidelines of ≥ 150 min/week) vs. insufficiently active.Results: Prior to COVID-19, 68.2% of participants were classified as being sufficiently active, vs. 60.6% during COVID-19. The majority of participants reported experiencing some level of depressive symptoms (62.0%) or anxiety symptoms (53.7%). After controlling for covariates, changes in MVPA accounted for significant variability in the PHQ-9 (7.7%), GAD-7 (2.5%), and SWLS (1.5 %). Participants with clinically significant mental health symptomatology reported greater declines in MVPA than those who reported no symptoms. Conversely, participants who were sufficiently active during COVID-19 reported significantly lower depression and anxiety, and higher life satisfaction.Conclusion: Participants who experienced the greatest declines in MVPA reported relatively greater psychological distress and lower life satisfaction. While preliminary, these findings suggest the importance of maintaining and promoting physical activity during a period of pandemic.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 50%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Strange Days: Adult Physical Activity and Mental Health in the First Two Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Gierc

Riazi

Fagan

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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“…Indeed, our sample in fact is somewhat skewed towards limited musical training (see supplemental Figure 20), yet music-related activities were most frequently indicated as the top choice for coping with the pandemic-related psychological distress. Recent studies have highlighted the role of physical exercise [40][41][42] and other leisure activities such as reading, making handcrafts, talking with friends and watching TV or film 7,43,44 as protective factors against developing psychological distress symptoms associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. To the best of our knowledge, however, none of these studies investigated the role of music in coping with COVID-19-related adversities and mitigating their effects within the context of other activities or across multiple countries (see 45 for an exception, limited however to a highly educated sample of 400 individuals).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rock ’n’ Roll but not Sex or Drugs: Music is negatively correlated to depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic via reward-related mechanisms

Mas‐Herrero¹,

N²,

Ferreri³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected mental health. We assessed which of many leisure activities had positive psychological effects, with particular attention to music, which has been reported anecdotally to be important. Questionnaire data from over a thousand individuals primarily from Italy, Spain, and the USA during spring 2020 show that people picked music most often as the best activity to cope with psychological distress. Hours of engagement in music and food-related activities during the pandemic were associated with decreased depression symptoms. The benefits of music were mediated by individual differences in sensitivity to reward, whereas the positive effects of food-related activities were related to emotion regulation. Our results demonstrate that music is an important means of improving well-being, and suggest that the underlying mechanism is related to reward, consistent with neuroscience findings. Our data have practical significance in pointing to effective strategies to cope with mental health issues.

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“…In regard to the preventive measures required to be adopted concerning the mental health of students, a rapid systematic review demonstrated the protective effect of a routine of physical activity during the COVID-19 period. Maintaining physical fitness has also been demonstrated to reduce the risk of developing symptoms of depression by 12%-32% and the risk of experiencing anxiety by 15%-34% in the general population [41]. Therefore, during forced isolation, such as the one during the pandemic crisis, certain authors have suggested studying the role of online exercise programs, such as the #StayHomeStayFit project by the University of Milan [42], in promoting fitness and preventing mental health disorders [41].…”

Section: Covid-19 Context Of School Closuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Physical Exercise Training on Bullying and Depression in a Classroom: A Case Report

Philippot¹,

Bleyenheuft²,

Volder³

2021

OBM ICM

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In a previous study conducted to assess the impact of physical exercise on the symptoms of depression and anxiety in preadolescents in the school environment, which included a subgroup of participants comprising eleven randomly selected teens (aged 9–11) and all enrolled in primary education, it was immediately observed that one participant referred to as Andy was being bullied and teased, and the teachers were completely unaware of this scenario. All the participants of the study were volunteers, and were subjected to low-to-moderate intensity exercise four times a week for five weeks. Psychological self-assessments and physical examinations were performed before and after the program as a part of a blind assessment. In the intervention sessions, the therapists and participants remained unaware of the individual scores. The sessions included the games that highlighted the feeling of movement, postural control, and slow relay races with balancing, in combination with other cooperative, interactive games focused on fun and social contact rather than focusing on the performance. It was reiterated to the participants that mockery was completely prohibited during the program. After the intervention, a significant decrease was observed in the anxiety levels and depression scores of the participants. The most significant change was observed in the participant who was a victim of bullying during the initial training sessions. No changes were observed in the general atmosphere of the classroom. Bullying is quite common (>10%) and is most often completely overlooked. The present study demonstrated a decrease in the symptoms of depression and anxiety in a non-clinical sample of pre-teens attending elementary school when they completed a low-to-moderate exercise program that combined movement and pleasure and encouraged positive and non-competitive interactions among the participants. The program proved to be particularly beneficial for a bullied individual.

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Can physical activity protect against depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic? A rapid systematic review

Cited by 17 publications

References 45 publications

Strange Days: Adult Physical Activity and Mental Health in the First Two Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Strange Days: Adult Physical Activity and Mental Health in the First Two Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Rock ’n’ Roll but not Sex or Drugs: Music is negatively correlated to depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic via reward-related mechanisms

Effect of Physical Exercise Training on Bullying and Depression in a Classroom: A Case Report

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