Table 1 Characteristics of included studies
Outcome assessed | Resting/induced | References | Country | Setting | Study design (groups) | Participants | Findings | Mechanism findings | PA/E groups | Non PA/E groups | Assessment timepoint | ITT | Resting/induced |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Affect | Laboratory induced: image viewing | Bartholomew [32] | USA | University | RCT (2) | University students (n = 40) (M age = 23.4 yrs) | RET reduced negative imagery inducted decreases in positive affect at 45 m post exercise | None | RET (n = 17) | No intervention (n = 18) | Pre-post | No | Image viewing |
Affect | Laboratory induced: memory task | Hopkins et al. [33] | USA | Community and University | RCT (4) | Individuals with a sedentary lifestyle (n = 75) (M age = 20.6 yrs) | No effect | 4wks ET* + AET improved object recognition memory only in participants homozygous for the BDNF Val allele. Exercise-induced changes in cognition were not correlated with changes in mood/anxiety | 4wks ET*: (Walking/jogging) (n = 14); 4wks ET* + AET (Walking/jogging) (n = 12); AET (Walking/jogging) (n = 15) | No intervention (n = 13) | Pre-post | NS | Memory task |
Anger | Laboratory induced: image viewing | Bartholomew [32] | USA | University | RCT (2) | University students (n = 40) (M age = 23.4 yrs) | RET increased anger 5 m post exercise | None | RET (n = 17) | No intervention (n = 18) | Pre-post | No | Image viewing |
Anxiety | Laboratory induced: image viewing | Bartholomew [32] | USA | University | RCT (2) | University students (n = 40) (M age = 23.4 yrs) | RET increased anxiety 5 m and decreased anxiety at 30 and 45 m post exercise. RET decreased negative imagery induced anxiety at 15, 30 and 45 m post exercise | None | RET (n = 17) | No intervention (n = 18) | Pre-post | No | Image viewing |
Anxiety | Laboratory induced: memory task | Hopkins et al. [33] | USA | Community and University | RCT (4) | Individuals with a sedentary lifestyle (n = 75) (M age = 20.6 yrs) | No effect | 4wks ET* + AET improved object recognition memory only in participants homozygous for the BDNF Val allele. Exercise-induced changes in cognition were not correlated with changes in mood/anxiety | 4wks ET*: (Walking/jogging) (n = 14); 4wks ET* + AET (Walking/jogging) (n = 12); AET (Walking/jogging) (n = 15) | No intervention (n = 13) | Pre-post | NS | Memory task |
Anxiety | Laboratory induced: speaking challenge | Julian et al. [34] | USA | University | RCT (4) | Individuals with elevated self-reported anxiety like symptoms (n = 112) (M age = 19.9 yrs) | No effect of exercise or attention training on anxiety reactivity | No effect of exercise or attention training on attention bias | Walking/jogging w. attention modification program (n = 28); Walking/jogging w/o attention modification program (n = 28) | Rest with Attention Modification Program (n = 28); Rest without Attention Modification Program (n = 28) | Pre-post, FU (4mths) | NS | Speaking challenge |
Anxiety | Resting | Mothes et al. [35] | Germany | Community and University | RCT (4) | Inactive individuals (n = 76) (M age = 21.89 yrs) | AET (all groups combined) decreased state anxiety (PP). No difference between groups | State-anxiety reduced more during AE in participants with greater habitual exercise expectations | AET + enhanced expectation (n = 18) AET + expectation (n = 20) AET (n = 19) AET + no-effect expectation (n = 19) (all cycling ergometer) | None | Pre-post | NS | Resting |
Anxiety | Resting | Smits et al. [36] | USA | Community and University | RCT (3) | University students scoring ≥ 25 on the ASI (n = 60) (M age = 20.7 yrs) | AET and AET + cognitive restructuring reduced anxiety (BG) | Changes in anxiety sensitivity mediated the beneficial effects of exercise on anxious and depressed mood | AET (n = 19); AET + cognitive restructuring (n = 21) | WL (n = 20) | Pre-post | Yes | Resting |
Anxiety | Resting | Lindheimer et al. [37] | USA | University | RCT (4) | University students with a raw score of 40 or higher on form Y-2 of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) (n = 60) (M age = 20.3 yrs) | No effect | Cycling did not affect energy and working memory after a single session | AET-cycling + info (n = 15); AET-cycling (n = 15) | Cycling placebo + info (n = 15); Cycling placebo (n = 15) | Pre-post | NS | Resting |
Anxiety | Resting | Broman-Fulks et al. [38] | USA | University | RCT (2) | University students scoring ≥ 25 on the ASI (n = 54) (M age = 21.2 yrs) | AET-high reduced state anxiety (BG) | None | AET-high (n = 29); AET-low (n = 25) | None | Pre-post, FU (1wk) | NS | Resting |
Anxiety | Resting | Focht et al. [39] | USA | University | RCT (3) | Female university students (n = 54) (M age = 21.2 yrs) | RET-mod (circuit) reduced state anxiety (BG) | RET-high (multiple set) increased body awareness and SBP | RET-mod (circuit) (n = ns); RET-high (multiple set) (n = ns) | Video watching (n = ns) | Pre-post | NS | Resting |
Anxiety sensitivity | Resting | Mason and Asmundson [40] | USA | Community and University | RCT (3) | Inactive individuals (n = 63) (M age = 24.63 yrs) | Both AET sprint-interval and AET continuous reduced anxiety sensitivity compared to waitlist at post-test (BG). No effect at FU | None | AET sprint-interval (n = 16) AET continuous (n = 20) | WL (n = 20) | Pre-post (FU 3 and 7 days) | NS | Resting |
Anxiety sensitivity | Resting | USA | Community and University | RCT (3) | University students scoring ≥ 25 on the ASI (n = 60) (M age = 20.7 yrs) | AET decreased anxiety sensitivity (BG); AET and AET + cognitive restructuring (combined) reduced anxiety sensitivity (BG) | Changes in anxiety sensitivity mediated effects of exercise on anxious and depressed mood. Males showed reductions in anxiety sensitivity sooner than females | AET (n = 19); AET + cognitive restructuring (n = 21) | WL (n = 20) | Pre-post | Yes | Resting | |
Anxiety sensitivity | Resting | Broman-Fulks et al. [38] | USA | University | RCT (2) | University students scoring ≥ 25 on the ASI (n = 54) (M age = 21.2 yrs) | AET-high and AET-low reduced anxiety sensitivity (PP). AET-high caused more rapid reductions in anxiety sensitivity (BG) | None | AET-high (n = 29); AET-low (n = 25) | None | Pre-post, FU (1wk) | NS | Resting |
Anxiety sensitivity | Resting | Broman-Fulks and Storey [43] | USA | University | RCT (2) | University students scoring > 26 on the ASI-R (n = 35) (M age = 18.9 yrs) | AE reduced anxiety sensitivity (BG) | None | AE (n = 19) | No intervention (n = 16) | Pre-post, FU (1wk) | No | Resting |
Depression | Laboratory induced: memory task | Hopkins et al. [33] | USA | Community and University | RCT (4) | Individuals with a sedentary lifestyle (n = 75) (M age = 20.6 yrs) | No effect | 4wks ET* + AET improved object recognition memory only in participants homozygous for the BDNF Val allele. Exercise-induced changes in cognition were not correlated with changes in mood/anxiety | 4wks ET*: (Walking/jogging) (n = 14); 4wks ET* + AET (Walking/jogging) (n = 12); AET (Walking/jogging) (n = 15) | No intervention (n = 13) | Pre-post | NS | Memory task |
Depression/anxiety | Resting | Mothes et al. [35] | Germany | Community and University | RCT (4) | Inactive individuals (n = 76) (M age = 21.89 yrs) | AET (all groups combined) decreased depression/anxiety (PP). No difference BG | Habitual exercise expectations were not correlated with changes in anxiety/depression during exercise | AET + enhanced expectation (n = 18) AET + expectation (n = 20) AET (n = 19) AET + no-effect expectation (n = 19) (all cycling ergometer) | None | Pre-post | NS | Resting |
Depression | Resting | Smits et al. [36] | USA | Community and University | RCT (3) | University students scoring ≥ 25 on the ASI (n = 60) (M age = 20.7 yrs) | AET and AET + cognitive restructuring reduced depression (BG) | Changes in anxiety sensitivity mediated the beneficial effects of exercise on anxious and depressed mood | AET (n = 19); AET + cognitive restructuring (n = 21) | WL (n = 20) | Pre-post | Yes | Resting |
Distress tolerance | Resting | Mason and Asmundson [40] | USA | Community and University | RCT (3) | Inactive individuals (n = 63) (M age = 24.63 yrs) | No effect | None | AET sprint-interval (n = 16) AET continuous (n = 20) | WL (n = 20) | Pre-post (FU 3 and 7 days) | NS | Resting |
Eating disorder symptoms | Resting | Fallon and Hausenblas [44] | USA | University | RCT (2) | Female university students with high drive for thinness (n = 63) (M age = 19.8 yrs) | No effect | None | AET (n = 32) | Rest (n = 31) | Pre-post | NS | Resting |
Mood states | Resting | Lindheimer et al. [37] | USA | University | RCT (4) | University students with a raw score of 40 or higher on form Y-2 of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) (n = 60) (M age = 20.3 yrs) | No effect | Cycling did not affect energy and working memory after a single session | AET-cycling + info (n = 15); AET-cycling (n = 15) | Cycling placebo + info (n = 15); Cycling placebo (n = 15) | Pre-post | NS | Resting |
Mood states | Resting | Fallon and Hausenblas [44] | USA | University | RCT (2) | Female university students with high drive for thinness (n = 63) (M age = 19.8 yrs) | No effect | None | AET (n = 32) | Rest (n = 31) | Pre-post | NS | Resting |
Mood states | Laboratory induced: cognitive task | Roth [45] | USA | University | RCT (2) | Active and inactive university students (n = 80) (M age = 20.8 yrs) | AET improved mood states (tension-anxiety; confusion-bewilderment) | Acute reductions in anxiety following single bouts of exercise occurred in the absence of changes in cardiovascular reactivity | AET (n = 40) | WL (n = 40) | Pre-post | NS | Cognitive task |
Mood states | Laboratory induced: cognitive task and resting | Roth et al. [46] | USA | University | RCT (2) | Female university students (n = 57) (M age = 20.5 yrs) | AET improved mood states (tension/anxiety; vigour/activity) in acute and basal conditions | AET had vasodilative effects | Exercise/stress task (n = 15); exercise/no stress task (n = 14) | Rest/stress task (n = 14); rest/no stress task (n = 14) | Pre-post | NS | Cognitive task and resting |
Stress | Laboratory induced: memory task | Hopkins et al. [33] | USA | Community and University | RCT (4) | Individuals with a sedentary lifestyle (n = 75) (M age = 20.6 yrs) | 4wks ET* + AET decreased stress. AET increased stress | 4wks ET* + AET improved object recognition memory only in participants homozygous for the BDNF Val allele. Exercise-induced changes in cognition were not correlated with changes in mood/anxiety | 4wks ET*: (Walking/jogging) (n = 14); 4wks ET* + AET (Walking/jogging) (n = 12); AET (Walking/jogging) (n = 15) | No intervention (n = 13) | Pre-post | NS | Memory task |