Improvement of physical training by performance-enhancing substances

Effects of different Chinese traditional exercises on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

As the COVID-19 outbreak escalated into a global pandemic, there was a significant surge in mental health issues worldwide. Over the past three decades, traditional Chinese exercises (TCEs) has gained increasing recognition for its ability to regulate mental well-being. The aim of this study (PROSPERO CRD42024516002) was to comprehensively assess and carry out a meta-analysis on the impact of traditional Chinese exercise on personal mental well-being amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Literature with publication dates from 2020 to 2023 was searched in four databases, including CNKI, Wanfang, Pubmed and Web of science. The literature was selected layer by layer according to the PRIMA guidelines, and then the quality of the included literature was assessed using the Cochrane Risk assessment tool.

Results

A total of 174 articles were screened, and 10 studies met the criteria and were included in the study. The results showed that TCEs had a positive effect on anxiety symptoms [SMD = -1.68, I2 = 98.40, 95%CI = (-2.80, -0.56), p = 0.00] and depressive symptoms [SMD = -1.23, I2 = 89.23, 95%CI = (-1.87, -0.58), p = 0.00]. The data of subgroup analysis showed that Baduanjin exercise had the best effect on reducing anxiety [SMD = -2.29, I2 = 98.3, 95%CI = (-3.69, -0.89), p < 0.000]. Individuals who practiced TCEs less than or equal to 30 min each time had the best effect on anxiety [SMD = -2.06, I2 = 96.2%, p < 0.000] and depression [SMD = -1.90, I2 = 68.4, 95%CI = (-2.25, -1.55), p = 0.042]. Individuals who trained TCEs more than 7 times a week were most likely to reduce symptoms of anxiety [SMD = -4.30, I2 = 92.6, 95%CI = (-6.78, -1.81), p < 0.000] and depression [SMD = -2.39, I2 = 0.0, 95%CI = (-2.91, -1.87), p = 0.625]. It is worth noting that TCEs had the most significant effect on the improvement of depression in people aged 30-50 years [SMD = -1.58, I2 = 89.0, 95%CI = (-3.05, -0.10), p = 0.003].

Conclusion

During the global pandemic, traditional Chinese sports have shown a positive and significant impact on reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, and have played a significant role in improving mental health problems.

Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, identifier CRD42024516002, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42024516002.

Association Between Physical Exercise and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Outbreak in China: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

The COVID-19 has undergone several mutations, and caused deleterious effects on physical and mental health of people worldwide. Whilst physical exercise is known for its positive effect on enhancing immunity and reducing the negative consequences of unhealthy emotional states caused by the pandemic; there is a severe lack of psychological exercise intervention measures and mitigation strategies to advance the knowledge and role of physical exercise to improve mental health in most countries. This study surveyed the association between physical exercise and mental health burden during the COVID-19 outbreak in China to better understand the influence of different physical exercise types on reducing mental health burden during the pandemic. ANOVA, binary logistic regression, the chi-square test, and Spearman's correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. 14,715 participants were included. The results showed that Chinese residents had several poor mental health conditions during the COVID-19 outbreak. And there was a significant positive correlation between the extent of adverse effects on mental health and provincial proportions of confirmed COVID-19 cases (r = 0.365, p < 0.05). Some main factors caused an unhealthy psychological status, including epidemic severity (62.77%, 95% CI 58.62-65.64%), prolonged home quarantine (60.84%, 95% CI 58.15-63.25%), spread of large amounts of negative information about COVID-19 in the media (50.78%, 95% CI 47.46-53.15%), limitations in daily life and social interaction (45.93%, 95%CI 42.46-47.55%), concerns about students' learning (43.13%, 95% CI 40.26-45.48%), and worries about being infected (41.13%, 95% CI 39.16-45.23%). There was a significant association between physical exercise and mental health. The largest associations were seen for home-based group entertainment exercise (i.e., family games, rope skipping, and badminton), Chinese traditional sports (i.e., Chinese martial arts, Taijiquan and Qigong), and popular sports (i.e., yoga, video dancing, sensory-motor games, and whole-body vibration), as well as durations of 30-60 min per session, frequencies of three to five times per week and a total of 120-270 min of moderate-intensity exercise weekly during the COVID-19 outbreak (p < 0.05).