Exercises reduces the chances of getting depressed, says study

As the list for the benefits of exercise wasn’t long enough, a new study by the team in Massachusetts General Hospital has reaffirmed the belief that exercise may help alleviate symptoms of depression. Published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, the study looked at whether or not physical activity had a 'potential causal role in reducing risk for depression.' The results of the study strongly said indicated that exercise and physical activity can be used as an effective preventive strategy against depression. Titled as "Assessment of Bidirectional Relationships Between Physical Activity and Depression Among Adults" the study included results collated using the genetic data of 300,000 adults.

"Increasing evidence shows that physical activity is associated with reduced risk for depression, pointing to a potential modifiable target for prevention", said the study, adding, "However, the causality and direction of this association are not clear; physical activity may protect against depression, and/or depression may result in decreased physical activity." In conclusion the team said that people who were more physically active have lower odds of suffering from depressive disorders. The team also showed that replacing sedentary activities with a mere 15 minutes of rigorous workout can possibly reduce the risk of depression by 26%.

"Findings point to the importance of objective measurement of physical activity in epidemiologic studies of mental health and support the hypothesis that enhancing physical activity may be an effective prevention strategy for depression", said the study in conclusion.