Even Moderate Exercise Can Reduce Depression, Claims New Study

Fitness experts, enthusiasts and trainers have always said that exercise is the key to achieving a good shape and maintaining a healthy body. Burning loads of calories indeed helps you shed off some kilos but what you were not familiar with is its impact on your mental health.

It has been long believed that you need to put hours of work in the gym to reap the benefits of it. However, a new study suggests that even moderate exercise can help one keep health issues like depression at bay.

Published recently in the journal JAMA psychiatry, the meta-analysis studied the association between physical activity and risk of depression by analysing 15 studies. The study involved more than 1,90,000 people to find out what amount of exercise was needed to lower the risk of depression.

The researchers found that physical activities equivalent to 1.25 hours of brisk walk per week resulted in 18 per cent lower risk of depression in adults as compared to those who did not exercise. Individuals who indulged in any physical activity equivalent to 2.5 hours of brisk walk were observed to have 25 per cent lower risk of depression.

In addition, the study noted that “most benefits are realised when moving from no activity to at least some.” It also observed that higher volumes of exercises had diminishing additional potential benefits and greater uncertainty. The researcher underlined that if less active adults had achieved the current recommended level of activities, then a significant percentage of depression cases would have been solved.

Highlighting the significance of the conclusions drawn, the authors of the study wrote that the findings will help health practitioners make better lifestyle recommendations to people. They added that most inactive people tend to find their fitness targets unrealistic and unachievable, but now they can benefit from moderate exercise as well.

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