SynthesisBMC public health2025
Effect of exercise interventions on depression, anxiety, and self-esteem in children and adolescents: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis 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
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Optimal exercise modality and dose to improve depression in children and adolescents: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of wrestling training on psychological well-being, anxiety, and resilience in adolescent boys.BMC psychology · 2026Trial
- Effectiveness of interventions for anxiety and depression in children and young people: an umbrella review of meta-analyses.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2026Review
- Effects of Commercial Exergames vs. Traditional Indoor Exercise on Mood in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Co-Creation of Mental Health Intervention for Adolescents: A Social Hackathon Approach.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Relationship of Emotional Functioning in 9-12-Year-Old Schoolchildren with Key Lifestyles: Sleep Quality and Daily Physical Activity.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesTo evaluate the effects of different exercise interventions on depression, anxiety, and self-esteem in children and adolescents, and to determine the optimal exercise treatment approach.
methodsA comprehensive search was conducted in the PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the impact of exercise interventions on depression, anxiety, and self-esteem in children and adolescents. The search period spanned from the inception of each database to April 2025. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 18 and R software.
resultsA total of 27 RCTs, encompassing 3059 children and adolescents, were included. Pairwise meta-analysis showed that exercise significantly improved depression (MD = -0.29, 95% CI [-0.44, -0.14]) and self-esteem (MD = 0.23, 95% CI [0.07, 0.38]), with a positive but non-significant effect on anxiety (MD = -0.12, 95% CI [-0.32, 0.09]). Network meta-analysis indicated that aerobic training significantly outperformed the control group in reducing depression, while resistance training significantly outperformed the control group in enhancing self-esteem. However, none of the exercise interventions showed significant effects on alleviating anxiety. Cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) rankings showed that resistance training was most effective in improving depression, combined aerobic and resistance exercise was most effective in alleviating anxiety, and resistance training was most effective in enhancing self-esteem. The quality of the evidence in this network meta-analysis was rated as "low" to "moderate".
conclusionResistance training produced greater improvements in depressive symptoms and self-esteem than other exercise modalities; moreover, combined aerobic-and-resistance training may be beneficial for alleviating anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents.
trial registrationThe review protocol was preregistered in the PROSPERO database (Registration No. CRD42025645711).
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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.