SynthesisInternational journal of environmental research and public health2021
The Association of Physical (in)Activity with Mental Health. Differences between Elder and Younger Populations: A Systematic Literature Review.
Synthesis in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
31 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Association of sleep duration and risk of mental disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2024Pooled it
- Elevating Elderly Cancer Care: A Systematic Review of Advanced Practice Nursing's Role in Senior Oncology Patients' Quality of Life.Journal of nursing management · 2024Pooled it
- The Effectiveness of Health-Oriented Interventions and Health Promotion for Unemployed People-A Meta-Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Pooled it
- Intervention for Social Frailty Focusing on Physical Activity and Reducing Loneliness: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Clinical interventions in aging · 2025Trial
- Perceptions of Patients and Health Professionals Regarding the Experience of Patients With a Hybrid Cardiac Rehabilitation Program.Research in nursing & health · 2026Article
- Determinants of life satisfaction and depressive symptoms among older adults living alone: longitudinal national evidence from Thailand, 2015-2022.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- Impact of Pediatric Leukemia on Maternal Anxiety, Depression, Sleep Quality, and Physical Activity.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2025Article
- The Effect of Eight Weeks of Passive Heat Therapy on Mental Health, Sleep, and Chronic Pain in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury: A Pilot Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- The Effect of Leisure-Time Exercise on Mental Health Among Adults: A Bibliometric Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Association between recreational physical activity and depressive symptoms in adults with diagnosed sleep disorders: an analysis of NHANES 2007-2018 data.BMC psychiatry · 2025Article
- Independent and joint associations of dietary diversity and physical activity on mental health among older adults in China: a cross-sectional study.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Individual differences in affect in response to physical activity.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Determinants of depressive symptoms among persons 80 years and older: longitudinal national evidence from the health, aging, and retirement study in Thailand, 2015-2022.BMC geriatrics · 2024Article
- The impact of chronic diseases on the health-related quality of life of middle-aged and older adults: the role of physical activity and degree of digitization.BMC public health · 2024Article
- The Role of Nursing in the Management of Chemotherapy Extravasation: A Systematic Review Regarding Public Health.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Empirical analysis of health-related behaviors among older Hakka adults: a latent class analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
- Physical activity levels in adults with chronic low back pain: A national survey in the general Spanish population.Journal of rehabilitation medicine · 2023Article
- Increased physical activity, higher educational attainment, and the use of mobility aid are associated with self-esteem in people with physical disabilities.Frontiers in psychology · 2023Article
- Assessing Quality of Life with Community Dwelling Elderly Adults: A Mass Survey in Taiwan.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Prevalence and Associated Factors of Successful Ageing among People 50 Years and Older in a National Community Sample in Thailand.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPhysical activity is associated with mental health benefits. This systematic literature review summarises extant evidence regarding this association, and explores differences observed between populations over sixty-five years and those younger than sixty-five.
methodsWe reviewed articles and grey literature reporting at least one measure of physical activity and at least one mental disorder, in people of all ages.
resultsFrom the 2263 abstracts screened, we extracted twenty-seven articles and synthesized the evidence regarding the association between physical (in)activity and one or more mental health outcome measures. We confirmed that physical activity is beneficial for mental health. However, the evidence was mostly based on self-reported physical activity and mental health measures. Only one study compared younger and elder populations, finding that increasing the level of physical activity improved mental health for middle aged and elder women (no association was observed for younger women). Studies including only the elderly found a restricted mental health improvement due to physical activity.
conclusionsWe found inverse associations between levels of physical activity and mental health problems. However, more evidence regarding the effect of ageing when measuring associations between physical activity and mental health is needed. By doing so, prescription of physical activity could be more accurately targeted.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.