Ejercicio físico como herramienta para el tratamiento de los trastornos mentales graves: evidencias y perspectivas de futuro

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To present and discuss the scientific evidence on the use of physical exercise interventions and their effect on the health of people with severe mental disorders and indicate possible areas for future improvement in this field. METHOD: We reviewed the scientific evidence available in PubMed from the beginning until March 2019 on physical exercise and health in people with severe mental disorder. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Extensive scientific evidence shows the benefits of physical exercise interventions on the health of people diagnosed with different types of severe mental disorders, finding more evidence in people with depression and schizophrenia. A growing scientific evidence suggests considering a series of methodological issues that could help improve adherence and maximize the benefits of physical exercise interventions in this population. Among them, that physical exercise professionals should be responsible for designing, implementing and supervising physical exercise interventions and that intervention should be attractive and appropriate for the participants. In addition, more and more researchers and mental health professionals suggest a change in the clinical approach of obesity to physical fitness in this population, and argue that the physical fitness should be evaluated in daily clinical practice by qualified physical exercise professionals for improving the prevention and treatment of multiple diseases, including severe mental disorders.