Table 2.

Description of the studies that have been analyzed the physiological AL parameters and the effects of physical activity and yoga asanas on anxiety and depression outcome.

Study	Type of study	Study participants	Physical activity	Concomitant treatment	AL parameters measured	Depression/Anxiety outcome	Main conclusion
Physical Activity (Aerobic Exercises, strengthening activities, leisure - physical activity surveys)
Bennie et al. (101) USA	Cross-sectional data analyses from health surveillance surveys (2011–2017).	n=1,477,981 adults (≥18 years). n=286,325 (18.0%) had depression.	Self reported physical activity survey. Physical activity was classified as aerobic and non-aerobic, and moderate intensity or vigorous intensity.	Not reported	Body Mass Index Diabetes Hypertension Arthritis Subjects were analyzed in stratified sub- groups to reduce cofounders. AL outcomes were not reported.	All physical activity combinations were associated with lower prevalence of depression	Lowest prevalence of depression was shown for those combining aerobic physical activity, or muscle strengthening activities, ≥2 days/week.
Fernandez-Montero et al. (102) Spain	Prospective study of physical activity and risk of depression	n=15,488 adults, follow-up of 10.5 years.	Leisure physical activity questionnaire (hours/week).	Not reported	Hypertension, Diabetes mellitus Weight (Analyzed as cofounders).	A total of 870 incident cases of depression	Participants with higher total leisure physical activity exhibited a lower risk of depression.
Gomes et al. (23) Brazil	Prospective study of adiposity, inflammatory markers, depression and anxiety	n=2,977 Cohort followed-up from birth until 18 and 22 years old	International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)	No	Body mass index Fat mass index Waist circumference C-reactive protein IL-6	A bidirectional association between obesity and depression was found. The effect of obesity on depression was more consistent than on anxiety.	Depression, but not generalized anxiety disorder, was associated with adiposity. Decreased levels of physical activity may mediate the association between obesity and depression.
Harvey et al. (100) Norway	Prospective study about exercise and the prevention of depression.	n=33,908 Cohort of healthy adults were followed for 11 years.	Validated questioners of exercise.	No	Body Mass Index, resting pulse. Less exercise at baseline was associated with higher resting pulse.	22,564 individuals followed up, 1,578 (7.0%) developed depression and 1,972 (8.7%) anxiety.	Regular leisure-time exercise of any intensity provided protection against future depression but not anxiety.
Herbsleb et al. (104) Germany	Cardio-respiratory fitness and autonomic function in patients with major depressive disorder	n= 34 patients with depression and normal controls	International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)	Conventional treatments (Antidepressants)	Hear rate, blood pressure, body fat, body mass index. Cardiopulmonary exercise test.	A negative correlation between depression and the IPAQ was found in patients with depression.	A lower fitness level in cardiopulmonary exercise test was observed in patients with depression.
Kerling et al. (105) Germany	Adjunctive exercise in depression: a randomized pilot trial	n=42 consecutive inpatients with major depressive disorder	Training program; three sessions per week, 45 minutes, moderate intensity compared to a group with usual treatment	Psychotherapy (100%) and antidepressants (75-77%)	Espiroergometry Lipids VO2 uptake Lactate levels	Exercise group showed lower heart rate, diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, and higher HDL cholesterol and depression improvement.	Exercise improves the outcome of inpatient treatment of moderate to severe depression.
Philippot et al. (109) Belgium	A pilot randomised trial of physical exercise on depression and anxiety symptoms	n=27 Healthy pre-adolescents age=9-11 years.	5-week period of intensive or low-to moderate exercises, four times a week.	No	Body mass index, body fat. No significant differences were found after treatment.	Psychological self-reports of depression and anxiety were reduced.	The program focused on associating movement with pleasure, encouraged positive and non-competitive interactions between participants
Schuchet al. (103) Brazil	Effects of aerobic physical exercise as an add-on strategy; A randomized controlled trial	n=26 Severe depressed inpatients.	Aerobic physical exercise 16.5 kcal/kg/week, three times a week	Conventional treatments (pharmacotherapy and/or electroconvulsive therapy)	Weight. No AL outcomes were measured.	A significant reduction in depression symptoms scores was observed in the exercise group.	Physical exercise could be a feasible and effective add-on strategy for treatment of severe depressed inpatients.
Valentine et al. (106) USA	Sex differences between obesity, C-reactive protein, physical activity, depression and fatigue	n=127 community-dwelling older adults	Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE)	No	Body Mass % Fat Index C-Reactive Protein	Inflammation was positively associated with fatigue and depression, and inversely associated with physical activity and % fat in women.	Strategies to prevent fatigue and depression may differ in older women and men, especially with regard to inflammation, physical activity and adiposity.
Yoga (Hatha Yoga/asanas)
Gothe et al. (107) USA	A randomized control study Effects of Yoga on executive function and stress	n = 118 healthy adults	An 8-week yoga intervention or a stretching control group.	No	Salivary cortisol	Executive functions, self-reported stress and anxiety	Yoga participants showed improvement in executive functions and showed an attenuated cortisol response.
West et al. (108) USA	Effects of hatha yoga and African dance on perceived stress and affect.	69 healthy undergraduate students.	Different interventions in 3 groups of patients: African dance, hatha yoga, and biology lecture (control group).	No	Salivary cortisol levels were decreased in yoga group.	Perceived Stress, Affect (positive and negative affect schedule).	African dance and hatha yoga significantly decreased perceived stress and negative affect, compared to the biology class.