Effects of exercise on symptoms of anxiety in primary care patients: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

There is a need for high-quality research regarding exercise interventions for persons with anxiety disorders. We investigate whether a 12-week exercise intervention, with different intensities, could reduce anxiety symptoms in patients with anxiety disorders.

METHODS

286 patients were recruited from primary care in Sweden. Severity of symptoms was self-assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S). Participants were randomly assigned to one of two group exercise programs with cardiorespiratory and resistance training and one control/standard treatment non-exercise group, with 1:1:1 allocation.

RESULTS

Patients in both exercise groups showed larger improvements in both anxiety and depressive symptoms compared to the control group. No differences in effect sizes were found between the two groups. To study a clinically relevant improvement, BAI and MADRS-S were dichotomized with the mean change in the control group as reference. In adjusted models the odds ratio for improved symptoms of anxiety after low-intensity training was 3.62 (CI 1.34-9.76) and after moderate/high intensity 4.88 (CI 1.66-14.39), for depressive symptoms 4.96 (CI 1.81-13.6) and 4.36 (CI 1.57-12.08) respectively. There was a significant intensity trend for improvement in anxiety symptoms.

LIMITATIONS

The use of self-rating measures which bears the risk of an under- or overestimation of symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

A 12-week group exercise program proved effective for patients with anxiety syndromes in primary care. These findings strengthen the view of physical exercise as an effective treatment and could be more frequently made available in clinical practice for persons with anxiety issues.

Cardiovascular fitness in males at age 18 and risk of serious depression in adulthood: Swedish prospective population-based study

BACKGROUND

Studies suggest a role for cardiovascular fitness in the prevention of affective disorders.

AIMS

To determine whether cardiovascular fitness at age 18 is associated with future risk of serious affective illness.

METHOD

Population-based Swedish cohort study of male conscripts (n = 1 117 292) born in 1950-1987 with no history of mental illness who were followed for 3-40 years. Data on cardiovascular fitness at conscription were linked with national hospital registers to calculate future risk of depression (requiring in-patient care) and bipolar disorder.

RESULTS

In fully adjusted models low cardiovascular fitness was associated with increased risk for serious depression (hazard ratios (HR) = 1.96, 95%, CI 1.71-2.23). No such association could be shown for bipolar disorder (HR = 1.11, 95% CI 0.84-1.47).

CONCLUSIONS

Lower cardiovascular fitness at age 18 was associated with increased risk of serious depression in adulthood. These results strengthen the theory of a cardiovascular contribution to the aetiology of depression.