Research
Adherence
Higher levels of physical activity are associated with a reduced prospective risk of incident psychosis.
Higher levels of physical activity are associated with a reduced risk of incident psychosis. While the evidence is less robust than for depression, engaging in regular physical activity may be a beneficial part of a comprehensive mental health strategy.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Across five prospective comparisons, with 4-32 years of follow-up, higher levels of physical activity significantly reduced risk of incident psychosis (OR=0.728, 95% CI: 0.532-0.995, I2=36.9%).
Why this rating
Based on a meta-analysis of 5 prospective comparisons, but the effect was non-significant in studies adjusting for confounders.
Source
A meta‐review of “lifestyle psychiatry”: the role of exercise, smoking, diet and sleep in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders
Joseph Firth et al. · World Psychiatry · 2020
DOI 10.1002/wps.20773
Meta-analysis · 45 studiesCited 1,042×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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