The effects of aerobic training on subclinical negative affect: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objective: The antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of aerobic exercise are well known, but less is known about its effects on subclinical levels of trait negative affect in healthy but sedentary adults. In the present study, we test the effects of a 3-month randomized controlled trial of aerobic exercise training in young to midlife adults on trait measures of depression, anxiety, hostility, and anger.

Method: One-hundred and 19 men (n = 56) and women (n = 63) aged 20-45 were randomized to 1 of 2 conditions: (a) 12 weeks of aerobic exercise after which they were asked to halt exercising and decondition for 4 weeks, or (b) a 16-week waitlist control group. Assessments of depression, anxiety, hostility and anger were completed at study entry, Week 12 and Week 16.

Results: At study entry, participants scored low on measures of depression, anxiety, hostility and anger. Analyses among the intent-to-treat and per protocol samples found significant treatment effects of aerobic training for hostility and depression, but not for anxiety and anger. Within-group analyses demonstrated that depression and hostility scores decreased in the exercise group over the course of the intervention, while remaining stable in the control group. These effects persisted for the exercise group at nonsignificant levels after 4 weeks of deconditioning.

Conclusions: Aerobic exercise training has significant psychological effects even in sedentary yet euthymic adults, adding experimental data on the known benefits of exercise in this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01335737.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

There are no conflicts of interest to report. The results of the present study do not constitute endorsement by ACSM. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agencies. Results are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation.

Figures

Figure 1.

CONSORT diagram

Figure 2.

Observed T1 geometric mean plotted with model estimated T2 and T3 geometric means and standard errors of BDI (depression). Dashed lines show the within-group change between the observed T1 mean and adjusted model-estimated means at T2. Solid lines show the change between model-estimated means a T2 and T3

Figure 3.

Observed T1 geometric mean plotted with model estimated T2 and T3 geometric means and standard errors of STAI (trait anxiety). Dashed lines show the within-group change between the observed T1 mean and adjusted model-estimated means at T2. Solid lines show the change between model-estimated means a T2 and T3

Figure 4.

Observed T1 mean plotted with model estimated T2 and T3 means and standard errors of CKM (hostility). Dashed lines show the within-group change between the observed T1 mean and adjusted model-estimated means at T2. Solid lines show the change between model-estimated means a T2 and T3

Figure 5.

Observed T1 mean plotted with model estimated T2 and T3 means and standard errors of STAXI (trait anger). Dashed lines show the within-group change between the observed T1 mean and adjusted model-estimated means at T2. Solid lines show the change between model-estimated means a T2 and T3