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August 4, 2024 – A recent study suggests that physical exercise and a balanced diet could be as effective as psychological treatment for managing depression, one of the most prevalent mental health disorders globally. The research, published in The Lancet Regional Health, highlights the potential for lifestyle changes to offer comparable benefits to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a well-established form of talk therapy.
The study explored the efficacy of exercise and nutrition in treating depression, comparing these lifestyle interventions with traditional CBT. Conducted between May 2021 and April 2022, the study involved 182 adults diagnosed with depression. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group received lifestyle therapy, which included guidance on diet and physical activity from a dietitian and exercise physiologist, while the other group underwent CBT with psychologists. Both treatments were administered via group-based, online video conferencing over six 90-minute sessions spanning eight weeks.
Remarkably, both methods demonstrated similar effectiveness in reducing depressive symptoms. “Remote-delivered lifestyle therapy was non-inferior to psychotherapy with respect to clinical and cost outcomes,” the researchers noted. This finding suggests that incorporating exercise and dietary changes could be a cost-effective alternative to traditional therapy, potentially increasing accessibility for individuals in remote or underserved areas.
The research team, comprising experts from Monash University, James Cook University, and Deakin University in Australia, emphasizes the need for further studies to validate these results on a larger scale. They advocate for greater integration of trained allied health professionals in delivering mental health care, highlighting the potential for these lifestyle interventions to complement or even substitute conventional psychological treatments.
As depression continues to rank among the top 25 causes of global disease burden, this study offers a promising perspective on expanding treatment options and improving mental health care accessibility worldwide.
