Physical activity and mental health: a systematic review and best-evidence synthesis of mediation and moderation studies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

While evidence consistently demonstrates that physical activity is beneficial to mental health, it remains relatively unknown how physical activity benefits mental health, and which factors influence the effect of physical activity on mental health. This understanding could vastly increase our capacity to design, recommend, and prescribe physical activity in more optimal ways. The purpose of this study was to systematically review and synthesise evidence of all mediators and moderators of the relationship between physical activity and mental health.

Methods

Systematic searches of four databases (i.e., Scopus, PsycINFO, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus) identified 11,633 initial studies. Empirical studies that quantitatively assessed physical activity, or conducted a physic

SUBMITTER: White RL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11603721 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature