Effect of Aerobic, Resistance, and Combined Exercise Training on Depressive Symptoms, Quality of Life, and Muscle Strength in Healthy Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract

Background Aerobic training, resistance training, or combined training are interventions that can be modified to suit the needs of aged people. Objective This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the impact of exercise training on depression symptoms, quality of life, and muscle strength in healthy people aged 60 or more. Data Sources Searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases from inception to February 2022. Results Eighteen studies, totaling 1354 participants, were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, exercise training significantly declined depressive symptoms (standard mean difference (SMD): −.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): −.76 to −.28; p < .001). Moreover, there was a significant reduction in bodily pain ( p < .05) and body mass ( p < .01), and a significant increase in mental health ( p < .001), physical functioning ( p < .01), and general health ( p < .001) subscales of quality of life as well as upper- ( p < .001) and lower-limb strength ( p < .001). Subgroup analysis revealed that depression decreased significantly when aerobic training ( p = .000) and resistance training ( p = .003) were applied, and for studies including both genders ( p = .000) or men subjects ( p = .002). Moreover, subgroup analysis demonstrated that depression reduced following both medium- ( p = .006) and long-term ( p = .002) interventions. Conclusion These findings demonstrate that exercise interventions may produce improvements in depressive symptoms, some components of quality of life, muscle strength, and body mass. Additional research is required to define the optimal dose of exercise training interventions.

Comparative effects of aerobic, resistance, and combined exercises on depression and sleep quality in women with controlled hypothyroidism. A randomized controlled trial

“…Subsequently, a systematic review and meta-analysis involving eighteen randomized controlled trials investigated the impact of aerobic, resistance, and combined training on depressive symptoms among healthy older adults. The findings revealed that each of these exercise interventions showed potential for improving depressive symptoms [54]. Also, a study on the benefits of the same three exercise protocols on the mental health-related quality of life in hypothyroid women found that the combined exercise achieved the greatest benefits, with the aerobic and resistance protocols both obtaining similar values [16].…”

From Zero to Hero: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients Hike on the Way of St. James—A Feasibility Study with Analyses of Patients’ Quality of Life, Diabetes Distress and Glucose Profile

“…Among all participants, five individuals had a score below 50 before the pilgrimage that increased to above 50 in each participant after the pilgrimage, i.e., the patients benefited considerably from the intervention. Many studies have already shown that exercise can positively affect mood and well-being [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]. However, a systematic review has shown that results about the effects of exercise training on quality of life and mental well-being in people with type 2 diabetes are conflicting [ 20 ].…”

Association Between Depressed Mood Changes and Physical Activity Among Adolescents Post COVID-19 Pandemic

“…In this study, the associations between changes in depressed mood and physical activity of ≥60 min or high-intensity physical activity were not significant; however, the rate of increased depressed mood after the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to muscle-strengthening exercises decreased after adjusting for pre-existing depression. In a previous study comparing the effects of aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises on depression in adults, both aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises, regardless of sex, significantly reduced feelings of depression [ 23 ]. A study targeting showed that both aerobic and anaerobic exercises had significant effects on reducing depression and that anaerobic exercise had a more significant effect on strengthening self-concept compared to aerobic exercise [ 24 ].…”