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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Aug 1.
Published in final edited form as: Ann Behav Med. 2015 Aug;49(4):542–556. doi: 10.1007/s12160-014-9685-9

Table 2.

Meta-Analyses Concerning Exercise-Anxiety Relationship

Study Inclusion Criteria Sample Results
RCTs Only? Exercise Control Other Studies N
Bartley et al., 2013 Yes More than 1 session Any alternative intervention Anxiety d/o other than PTSD 7 407 Exercise is similar, ES = 0.02.
Conn, 2010 No Any non-acute intervention to increase physical activity N/A No elevated anxiety or anxiety d/o 19 3,789 Exercise is superior, ES = 0.22.
Herring et al., 2010 Yes At least 3 weeks of any exercise Nonexercise comparison conditions only Sedentary adults with chronic illness 40 2,914 Exercise is superior, ES = 0.29.
Petruzzello et al., 1991 No Any exercise, single or multiple bouts N/A N/A 104 3,048 Exercise is effective for state anxiety (ES = 0.24), trait anxiety (ES = 0.34), and psychophysiological correlates of anxiety (ES = 0.56).
Wipfli et al, 2008 Yes Any exercise, single or multiple bouts Any alternative intervention No co-intervention for exercise condition 49 3,566 Exercise is superior, ES = −0.48.