Li Jun, Zhang Ling, Yu Fan
School of Sport Management, Shandong Sport University, Jinan, Shandong, 250102, China.
School of Sport Communication and Information Technology, Shandong Sport University, Jinan, Shandong, 250102, China.
BMC Psychol. 2025 Jul 1;13(1):701. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-03009-z.
Mental health issues, especially depression and anxiety, are prevalent among college students. Long-term exercise has been shown to improve depression and anxiety in college students. Therefore, this study aims to systematically and comprehensively evaluate the intervention effect of long-term exercise on depression and anxiety in college students using a three-level meta-analysis.
A computer-based search was conducted in five databases-China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and Web of Science-for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of long-term exercise interventions on depression and anxiety in college students. The search covered all records from the inception of each database up to January 11, 2025. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the PEDro scale, and the evidence quality was evaluated using GRADEpro. A three-level meta-analysis with a random-effects model was performed using the metafor package in R 4.3.0.
In total, 36 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Long-term exercise significantly improved depression (g = -0.89, 95% CI [-1.23, -0.54], p < 0.001) and anxiety (g = -0.64, 95% CI [-0.96, -0.32], p < 0.001) in college students. Exercise type, time, frequency, cycle, and questionnaire type were not found to be moderators (all p > 0.05). The evidence quality, as assessed by GRADEpro, was rated as high.
Long-term exercise can improve depression and anxiety in college students. However, future studies should use more rigorous methodologies and explore the intervention effects of various exercise parameters on depression and anxiety in this population.
心理健康问题，尤其是抑郁和焦虑，在大学生中很普遍。长期锻炼已被证明可以改善大学生的抑郁和焦虑状况。因此，本研究旨在通过三级荟萃分析系统全面地评估长期锻炼对大学生抑郁和焦虑的干预效果。
在五个数据库——中国知网（CNKI）、PubMed、Embase、考克兰图书馆和科学网——中进行基于计算机的检索，以查找调查长期锻炼干预对大学生抑郁和焦虑影响的随机对照试验（RCT）。检索涵盖每个数据库自创建以来至2025年1月11日的所有记录。使用PEDro量表评估纳入研究的质量，并使用GRADEpro评估证据质量。使用R 4.3.0中的metafor包进行随机效应模型的三级荟萃分析。
本荟萃分析共纳入36项研究。长期锻炼显著改善了大学生的抑郁（g = -0.89，95% CI [-1.23, -0.54]，p < 0.001）和焦虑（g = -o.64，95% CI [-0.96, -0.32]，p < 0.001）。未发现运动类型、时间、频率、周期和问卷类型是调节因素（所有p > 0.05）。经GRADEpro评估，证据质量被评为高。
长期锻炼可以改善大学生的抑郁和焦虑。然而，未来的研究应采用更严格的方法，并探索各种运动参数对该人群抑郁和焦虑的干预效果。
