Acute exercise for anxiety reduction in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis of developmental, contextual, and modality-specific effects.

Eur J PediatrSep 2, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchPediatricsPsychiatryOpen access

Jing Wang, Ji-Wei Chen, Shi-Jun Jin et al.

✦ AI-curated · Sources linked

In 30 seconds

This meta-analysis evaluated the immediate effects of acute exercise on state anxiety in children and adolescents aged 6-18 years. It included 12 studies with 739 participants and found that acute exercise significantly reduced state anxiety (SMD = -0.77, P = 0.01). The analysis highlighted substantial heterogeneity among studies and suggested that effects may vary by developmental stage and exercise modality.

Key findings

  • Acute exercise significantly reduced state anxiety with a standardized mean difference of -0.77.
  • In adolescents aged 13-18 years, the effect size was notably larger at -2.97.
  • Group-based interventions showed a significant reduction in anxiety (SMD = -0.30).
  • High-autonomy settings were associated with a significant anxiety reduction (SMD = -0.62).

Why it matters

Understanding the impact of acute exercise on anxiety can inform interventions aimed at improving mental health in children and adolescents. This knowledge is crucial for developing effective strategies to manage anxiety in this population.

Source

PubMed · PMID 42684440Free full text on PubMed Central

Published in Eur J Pediatr. This summary was written by xxcode from the publication's abstract and metadata. It is not peer reviewed and is not a substitute for the original article. For clinical decisions, review the original publication.

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