Physical Exercise for Treatment of Depression and Anxiety - RCT

Physical Activity as Treatment for Depression and Anxiety Towards Affordable Preventive Healthcare - a Randomised Controlled Study (RCT)

In a 12 week randomly controlled open trial 102 participants with symptoms of depression and/or anxiety will be exposed to either aerobic high intensity training (HIT) or relaxation therapy. Cognitive functions, biomarkers, psychiatric symptom scales and physical status will be collected at baseline, after 12 weeks and after a year. Depression and anxiety will be measured twice during the intervention period.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Score ≥12 on MADRS or score ≥16 on BAI
• Inhabitant i Örebro County, Sweden
• BMI ≥18 kg/m^2

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of chronic psychotic disease or ongoing psychotic episode.
• Ongoing manic state of bipolar disorder
• Severe somatic disease or condition where high intensity exercise is contraindicated
• Difficulty with reading, hearing or understanding the Swedish language