Evidence mapPaperPMID 41737993Full record

ReviewPsychology research and behavior management2026

Comparative Efficacy of Exercise Interventions for Anxiety Disorders: A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis.

Jiahui Liu, Hengchang Wang, Yi Lan, Dian Yuan, Bin Du, Yifan Zhou, Weihao Zhang, Xiong-Wen Ke, Qingqing Jiang, Furong Wang and 2 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Psychology research and behavior management, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Jiahui Liu *Wushu College, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
Hengchang Wang *School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
Yi LanWushu College, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
Dian YuanWushu College, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
Bin DuThe School of Physical Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
Yifan ZhouWushu College, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
Weihao ZhangWushu College, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.ORCID 0009-0008-5488-7053
Xiong-Wen KeWushu College, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
Qingqing JiangSchool of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
Furong WangSchool of Nursing, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.ORCID 0000-0001-8693-7301
Shiyi CaoSchool of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
Jian SunWushu College, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this study is to conduct a Bayesian multilevel network meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness of various exercise modalities on anxiety symptoms and to assess how exercise and individual characteristics moderate these effects. Methods: A comprehensive search of Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on exercise and anxiety. Literature screening, data extraction, and analysis were conducted independently by two researchers. A Bayesian-based network meta-analysis was applied, and the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis (CINeMA) tool assessed evidence quality. Results: Forty-five studies (97 groups, 2643 participants) were included. Compared to control groups, meditation (Hedges' g = -0.72, 95% CI: -1.20 to -0.24), yoga (Hedges' g = -0.59, 95% CI: -0.93 to -0.27), and tai chi/qigong (Hedges' g = -0.52, 95% CI: -0.88 to -0.17) had the strongest effects. Resistance training (Hedges' g = -0.40), aerobic exercise (Hedges' g = -0.40), and walking/jogging (Hedges' g = -0.39) were also effective. However, mixed aerobic exercise did not achieve statistical significance. Conclusion: Static, breath-focused exercises (eg, meditation, yoga, tai chi/qigong) and dynamic exercises (eg, resistance training, walking/jogging) may be effective interventions for anxiety reduction, with broad applicability across populations.

Indexed as

anxiety disordersexercisemeta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID41737993
PMCPMC12927777

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.