By now, most people have heard that exercise is good for their health.
A new review suggests it can it also make a difference in major depressive disorder.
Researchers analyzed 15 existing studies with data on exercise and depression, finding an association between physical activity and depression risk. The investigators estimated that almost 12% of cases of depression could have been prevented with a certain amount of exercise.
It didn’t take much.
Physical activity was associated with significant mental health benefits, even when someone wasn’t exercising as hard or as often as public health recommendations, according to the researchers, led by Soren Brage and James Woodcock, from the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine in England.
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