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Effects of green exercise on mental health in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Xiaolin Wang1, Xuezhen Yang2, Yongping Yu3
1School of Physical Education, Ludong University, Yantai, China.
Introduction:
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effects of green exercise on mental health in older adults.
Methods:
A systematic literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials identified 26 studies involving 1,468 older adults. Meta-analyses were performed using random-effects models, and risk of bias was assessed using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Additionally, subgroup analyses were conducted to explore potential moderators, including geographic region, comparator condition, and intervention characteristics.
Results:
The results showed that green exercise significantly improved mental health in older adults compared with indoor exercise [SMD = 0.70, 95% CI (0.44, 0.96)], urban exercise [SMD = 0.79, 95% CI (0.44, 1.15)], and waitlist control conditions [SMD = 0.48, 95% CI (0.14, 0.81)]. Subgroup analyses did not identify significant moderators of the observed effects.
Conclusion:
Green exercise may be an effective approach for improving mental health in older adults. These findings highlight the importance of environmental context in shaping the mental health benefits of physical activity in later life and support the potential value of green exercise as a strategy for promoting psychological wellbeing in aging populations.
Systematic Review Registration:
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261277519.
