Awareness of Physical Activity as an Antidepressant Mechanism: A Literature Review

Aditya Denny Pratama(1*), Nadaa Nadiyah Nisrinaa(2)
(1) Physiotherapy Department, Vocational Education Program, Universitas Indonesia
(2) Physiotherapy Department, Vocational Education Program, Universitas Indonesia
(*) Corresponding Author
Abstract
Background: According to WHO (World Health Organization), mental disorders such as depression affected 300 million people and became a leading cause of disability. Depression and anxiety were parts of mental illness that were very common in the Generation Z era and could have long-term impacts on human survival.
Objective: This research aimed to determine the effectiveness of physical activity as an antidepressant and quality of life improvement as an effort to build the 2045 Golden Generation.
Methods: This research was a descriptive literature review study using 10 articles that were reviewed according to criteria after searching and selection from several databases, namely Biomed, Pubmed, Google Scholar and Science Direct.
Results: The recommended physical activity for people with depression and anxiety was jogging with moderate and vigorous intensity twice a week, or other physical activities that required a minimum of 600 METs-minutes per week, with 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or more than 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week.
Conclusion: The implementation of physical activity was recommended because it could reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as improve quality of life.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Antonucci, L.A., Taurino, A., Laera, D., Taurisano, P., Losole, J., Lutricuso, S., Abbatantuono, C., Giglio, M., De Caro, M.F., Varrassi, G., Puntillo, F. (2020). An Ensemble of Psychological and Physical Health Indices Discriminates Between Individuals with Chronic Pain and Healthy Controls with High Reliability: A Machine Learning Study. Pain Ther. 2020 Dec;9(2):601-614. doi:10.1007/s40122-020-00191-3. Epub 2020 Sep 3. PMID: 32880867; PMCID: PMC7648771.
Bélair M-A, Kohen DE, Kingsbury M, et al. (2018). Relationship between leisure time physical activity, sedentary behaviour and symptoms of depression and anxiety: evidence from a populationbased sample of Canadian adolescents. BMJ Open 2018;8:e021119. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021119
Blodgett, J.M., Mitchell, J.J., Stamatakis, E., Chastin, S., & Hamer, M. (2023). Associations between the composition of daily time spent in physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep and risk of depression: compositional data analyses of the 1970 British cohort study', Journal of Affective Disorders, vol. 320, pp. 616-620. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.110
Cai, Y., Zhou, J., Scott, P.W., Tian, Q., Wanigatunga, A.A., Lipsitz, L., Simonsick, E.M., Resnick, S.M., Ferrucci, L., Ren, D., Lingler, J.H., Schrack, J.A. (2025). Physical activity complexity, cognition, and risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). 2025 Apr 9;11(2):e70077. doi: 10.1002/trc2.70077. PMID: 40225241; PMCID: PMC11982518.
Da Silva Candido, M. C. F., Ventura, C. A. A., Furegato, A. R. F., Santos, J. L. F., & Candido, M. A. (2020). Mental illness, Mental Disability, and the Exercise of Human Rights: Key Differences and Similarities According to Mental Health Administrators and Managers Within Brazil. Journal of Human Rights and Social Work, 5(1), 12–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41134-019-00101-4
Denche-Zamorano, A., Basilio-Fernández, B., HerreraGuerrero, P., Garcia-Gordillo, M.A., Castillo-Paredes, A., Rojo-Ramos, J., Gómez-Paniagua, S., BarriosFernandez, S.A. (2023). Cross-Sectional Study on the Associations between Depression and Anxiety, Medication Use for These Diseases and Physical Activity Level in Spanish People with Hypertension. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 1803. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ijerph20031803
De Oliveira, L. D. S. S. C. B., Souza, E. C., Rodrigues, R. A. S., Fett, C. A., & Piva, A. B. (2019). The Effects Of Aktivitas fisik On Anxiety, Depression, And Kualitas hidup In Elderly People Living In The Community. Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 41(1), 36–42. https://doi.org/10.1590/2237-6089-2017-0129
Endriyani, S., Lestari, R. D., Lestari, E., & Napitu, I. C. (2022). Gangguan Mental Emosional Dan Depresi Pada Remaja. Healthcare Nursing Journal, 4(2), 429–434. https://journal.umtas.ac.id/index.php/healtcare
Figueira, H. A., Figueira, O. A., Figueira, A. A., Figueira, J. A., Polo-Ledesma, R. E., Lyra da Silva, C. R., & Dantas, E. H. M. (2023). Impact of Aktivitas fisik on Anxiety, Depression, Stress and Kualitas hidup of the Older People in Brazil. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021127
Galán-Arroyo, C., Pereira-Payo, D., Rojo-Ramos, J., Hernández-Mocholí, M. A., Merellano-Navarro, E., Pérez-Gómez, J., Denche-Zamorano, Á., & Adsuar, J. C. (2022). Aktivitas fisik and Prevalence of Depression and Antidepressants in the Spanish Population. Healthcare (Switzerland), 10(2), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10020363
Glowacki, K., Weatherson, K., & Faulkner, G. (2019). Barriers and facilitators to health care providers’ promotion of aktivitas fisik for individuals with mental illness: A scoping review. Mental Health and Aktivitas fisik, 16, 152–168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2018.10.006
Guerrera, C. S., Furneri, G., Grasso, M., Caruso, G., Castellano, S., Drago, F., Di Nuovo, S., & Caraci, F. (2020). Antidepressant Drugs and Aktivitas fisik: A Possible Synergism in the Treatment of Major Depression? Frontiers in Psychology, 11(May), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00857
Kim, S. Y., Park, J. H., Lee, M. Y., Oh, K. S., Shin, D. W., & Shin, Y. C. (2019). Aktivitas fisik and the prevention of depression: A cohort study. General Hospital Psychiatry, 60(July), 90–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2019.07.010
Kirana, W., Anggreini, Y. D., & Litaqia, W. (2022). Faktor Risiko Yang Memengaruhi Gangguan Jiwa. Khatulistiwa Nursing Journal, 4, 40–51. https://doi.org/10.53399/knj.v4i0.177
Li, W., Zhao, Z., Chen, D., Kwan, M.P., Tse, L.A. (2025)Association of health locus of control with anxiety and depression and mediating roles of health risk behaviors among college students. Sci Rep. 2025 Mar 4;15(1):7565. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-91522-x. PMID: 40038503; PMCID: PMC11880558.
Latimer, K., Larok, R., Nyeko, J.P., Murungi, L., Luwangula, R., Lukungu, B., Cariin, J., Nannungi, R., Comboni, D.O., Kalule, E.N., Rosenbaum, S., Vancampfort, D. (2025). A sport-for-protection program reduces anxiety and depression in youth affected by displacement: A randomized controlled trial of the Game Connect program in Uganda. Journal of Affective Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.02.001
Li, X., Gu, Z., Zhan, B., Yang, Q., Wang, Q., Li, W., Zhou, Z. (2025). Impact of physical activity on the depression and self-care ability among Chinese older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: propensity score matching analysis. BMC Geriatr. 2025 Mar 26;25(1):198. doi:10.1186/s12877-025-05705-2. PMID: 40140743; PMCID: PMC11948886.
Nurbasari, N. A., Gondodiputro, S., & Dwipa, L. (2020). The elderly’s kualitas hidup in the panti werdha and the community of bandung city: whoqol-bref and whoqol-old Indonesian Version. Share : Social Work Journal, 9(2), 219. https://doi.org/10.24198/share.v9i2.25611
Nurhaeni, A., Erna Marisa, D., & Oktiany, T. (2022). Peningkatan Pengetahan Tentang Gangguan Kesehatan Mental Pada Remaja. Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Kesehatan, 1(1), 29–34. http://download.garuda.kemdikbud.go.id/article.php?article=3234124&val=28314&title=.
Oliveira, M.S.S., Alvez, V.M., Lúcio, I.M.L., dos Santos, P.S. (2025). Mental illness and coping strategies of nurses at a university hospital. Cogitare Enferm [Internet]. 2025 [cited “insert year, month and day”];30. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1590/ ce.v30i0.97844
Pascoe, M., Bailey, A. P., Craike, M., Carter, T., Patten, R., Stepto, N., & Parker, A. (2020). Aktivitas fisik and exercise in youth mental health promotion: A scoping review. BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine, 6(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000677
Philippot, A., Dubois, V., Lambrechts, K., Grogna, D., Robert, A., Jpnckheer, U., Chakib, W., Beine, A., Bleyenheuft, Y., Volder, A.G.D. (2022). Impact of physical exercise on depression and anxiety in adolescent inpatients: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.01.011
Pragholapati, A., Rizky, R., Shaleha, A., & Nasution, L. A. (2021). Reduksi Stigma terhadap Orang Dengan Gangguan Mental. Jurnal Paradigma, 3(2), 1–6.
Schwefel, M.K., Kaufman, C., Gutman, G., Henze, R., Fydrich, T., Rapp, M.A., Strohle, A., Heissel, A., Heinzel, S. (2025). Effect of physical exercise training on neural activity during working memory in major depressive disorder.
Sinha, N.K., Maiti, S.(2025). Psychosocial status and COVID-19 outcome are significantly associated. J Health Popul Nutr. 2025 Mar 1;44(1):59. doi:10.1186/s41043-024-00711-3. PMID: 40025580; PMCID: PMC11871740.
Smith, P. J., & Merwin, R. M. (2021). The Role of Exercise in Management of Mental Health Disorders: An Integrative Review. Annual Review of Medicine, 72, 45–62. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-med-060619-022943
Survei Kesehatan Indonesia. (2023). Survei Kesehatan Indonesia dalam Angka. Kementerian Kesehatan Republik Indonesia Badan Kebijakan Pembangunan Kesehatan.
Wall, A., Henriksson, M., Nyberg, J., Holmgren, K., Isgaard, J., Lennartsson, A., Svensson, J., Danielsson, L., Waern, M., Aberg, M., Aberg, N.D. (2024). Exercise and health-related quality of life and work-related outcomes in primary care patients with anxiety disorders – A randomized controlled study. Journal of Affective Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.05.092
Xie H, Chen Y, Tang J, Ma Y, Liu Y, Ren X. (2025). The association of energy or macronutrient intake in three meals with depression in adults with cardiovascular disease: the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2018. BMC Psychiatry. 2025 Jan 31;25(1):88. doi:10.1186/s12888-025-06541-9. PMID: 39891124; PMCID: PMC11786582.
Young, D., Ng, P. Y. N., Cheng, D., & Hong, L. C. (2019). Effects of Aktivitas fisik Intervention for Chinese People With Severe Mental illness. Research on Social Work Practice, 29(7), 796–807. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731518804900

Article Metrics


Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2025 The Author(s)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Jurnal Kesehatan Vokasional with registered number ISSN 2541-0644 (print), ISSN 2599-3275 (online) published by the Departement of Health Information Management and Services, Vocational College, Universitas Gadjah Mada