Table 2

Summary data on the effects of physical activity interventions on depression for a range of clinical conditions, including the number of reviews, studies and participants covered; and the 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile for standardised mean differences

 Condition Reviews RCTs* Participants† Standardised mean difference 25th percentile Median 75th percentile Arthritis 4 55 3713 –0.73 –0.40 –0.31 Cancer 17 196 >14 616 –0.46 –0.22 –0.15 Blood 2 5 315 –0.25 –0.24 –0.22 Breast 8 84 7113 –0.61 –0.47 –0.17 Colorectal 3 8 575 –0.23 –0.21 –0.11 Lung 1 6 695 –0.49 Lymphoma 1 2 161 –0.35 Non-specific 5 85 >5543 –0.22 –0.21 –0.13 Prostate 2 4 214 –0.20 –0.18 –0.16 Chronic disease 3 18 >994 –0.38 –0.27 –0.27 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2 16 1175 –0.86 –0.72 –0.58 Cardiovascular disease 5 54 6681 –0.37 –0.16 –0.14 Stroke 2 19 1580 –0.36 –0.25 –0.13 Heart disease 3 26 4435 –0.33 –0.16 –0.15 Dementia 4 37 >3470 –0.37 –0.27 –0.11 Diagnosed 3 16 >881 –0.41 –0.31 –0.06 Cognitive impairment 1 21 2589 –0.23 Depression 15 299 >13 318 –0.82 –0.62 –0.33 Diagnosed 14 273 >12 953 –0.96 –0.66 –0.38 Symptoms 3 26 >365 –0.74 –0.56 –0.34 General population 9 208 >14 145 –0.69 –0.62 –0.35 Adults 6 99 >9016 –0.82 –0.69 –0.66 Older adults 3 75 >4862 –0.52 –0.36 –0.28 HIV/AIDS 1 9 395 –0.84 Kidney disease 3 11 567 –1.14 –0.85 −0.71 Mental health disorders 6 39 2083 –0.49 –0.44 –0.37 Fatigue 1 7 415 –0.58 Non-specific 1 13 362 –0.41 Post-traumatic stress disorder 2 7 332 –0.49 –0.43 –0.37 Schizophrenia 1 3 94 –0.26 Substance abuse 1 9 610 –0.47 Neurological disease 4 62 2901 –0.46 –0.37 –0.32 Multiple sclerosis 3 39 1577 –0.51 –0.37 –0.36 Non-specific 1 23 1324 –0.28 Pregnancy/postpartum 3 43 3364 –0.63 –0.59 –0.40 Pregnant 1 10 609 –0.59 Postpartum 2 33 2755 –0.69 –0.49 –0.34
• *Reviews may have included overlapping randomised controlled trials.

• †Randomised controlled trials may have included overlapping participants.

• RCTs, randomised controlled trials.