Swimming and exercise machines are more beneficial to mental health

Popular Science Times (Reporter Wu Tong) A public health research paper recently published in the professional academic journal "Communications Medicine" under Springer Nature stated that a research team from Chinese universities found in a study of more than 700,000 Chinese people that swimming or using fitness equipment to exercise is more closely related to mental health for the elderly, patients with chronic diseases, and those who never drink or smoke. This helps people understand the relationship between different exercise methods and mental health in different populations.

To further understand the relationship between physical exercise and mental health, the research team led by Academician Ding Lieyun and Professor Wang Wei from Huazhong University of Science and Technology analyzed data from more than 700,000 individuals aged 15 or above living in various parts of China. The data came from health service surveys conducted in 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018.

They found that 50 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise six times a week was associated with the lowest mental health burden, which was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire about depression, anxiety or mood problems in the past 30 days.

The research team also found that while all forms of physical exercise were associated with reduced mental health burdens, swimming and using fitness equipment were associated with lower mental health burdens than jogging and ball games.

The study found that regardless of the frequency, duration, type or intensity of exercise, exercise reduced mental health burden in adults aged 60 years or older more than in those aged 30 to 59 years. At the same time, higher levels of activity were associated with lower mental health burden, and this was more significant in those with chronic diseases than in those without.