Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the included randomized controlled trials about depressive symptoms
Author, year | Study location | Menopausal stage | Age, y | Active treatment | Duration, wk | Time/Intensity | Control treatment | Measures | Sample size active | Mean ± SD | Sample size control | Mean ± SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abedi et al. 2015 | Iran | Postmenopausal | 50–75 | Walking | 12w | Low intensity | No intervention | Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) | 49 | 13.7 ± 5 | 48 | 19.6 ± 4.79 |
Afonso et al. 2012 | Brazil | Postmenopausal | 42–58 | Yoga | 2/w, 16w | 60 min | Wait-list | Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) | 15 | 11.0 ± 1.9 | 15 | 14.8 ± 1.9 |
Aibar-Almazán et al. 2017 | Spain | Postmenopausal | 50–75 | Pilates | 2/w, 12 w | 60 min | No intervention | Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) | 55 | 3.98 ± 2.93 | 52 | 6.81 ± 3.6 |
Bernard et al. 2105 | France | Postmenopausal | 40–63 | Walking | 2/w, 6w | 40 min, 40–75% maximal heart rate, moderate intensity | Wait-list | Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) | 61 | 7.74 ± 0.77 | 60 | 10.52 ± 0.78 |
Bowen et al. 2006 | USA | Postmenopausal | 50–65 | Aerobic exercise | 5/w, 52w | 45 min, 60–75% of VO2 max, moderate intensity | Stretching | Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) | 86 | 94.31 ± 10.4 | 86 | 93.45 ± 8.03 |
Carcelén-Fraile et al. 2022 | Spain | Postmenopausal | 60–70 | Qigong | 2/w, 12w | 60 min | No intervention | Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) | 57 | 7.70 ± 3.23 | 60 | 10.07 ± 3.16 |
Elavsky et al. 2007 | USA | Menopausal | 40–62 | Walking | 3/w, 16w | 60 min, 60–75% of the heart rate reserve (HRR), moderate intensity | Wait-list | Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) | 63 | 6.38 ± 4.94 | 39 | 8.11 ± 7.64 |
Gao et al. 2016 | China | Perimenopausal | 40–62 | Square dance | 5/w, 12w | 60–90 min | No intervention | Self-rating depressive scale (SDS) | 26 | 0.15 ± 0.08 | 24 | 0.02 ± 0.09 |
Hu et al. 2017 | China | Postmenopausal | 45–60 | Walking | 3/w, 16w | 60 min, 60% heart rate reserve, moderate intensity | Wait-list | Beck Depression Inventory-21 (BDI) | 40 | 2.25 ± 1.24 | 40 | 3.85 ± 2.14 |
Imayama et al. 2011 | USA | Postmenopausal | 40–75 | Aerobic exercise | 5/w, 52w | 45 min, 70–85% of maximal heart rate, moderate-to-vigorous intensity | Wait-list | Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) | 117 | 48.1 ± 9.8 | 87 | 48.4 ± 9.6 |
Kai et al. 2016 | Japan | Menopausal transition or postmenopausal | 45–55 | Stretching | 7/w, 3w | 10 min | Wait-list | Self-rating depressive scale (SDS) | 20 | 35.8 ± 9.3 | 20 | 41.6 ± 7.3 |
Li et al. 2022 | China | Postmenopausal | > 40 | Baduanjin | 5/w, 16w | 45 min | Er Xian Decoction | Self-rating depressive scale (SDS) | 17 | 47.06 ± 1.81 | 15 | 47.07 ± 2.19 |
Luoto et al. 2012 | Finland | Menopausal | 45–65 | Aerobic training | 4/w, 12w | 50 min, 64-80% of maximal heart rate, moderate intensity | No intervention | Menopause-specific quality of life score (WHQ) | 74 | 0.12 ± 0.2 | 77 | 0.22 ± 0.21 |
Newton et al. 2014 | USA | Menopausal transition or postmenopausal | > 60 | Yoga | 2/w, 12w | 90 min | No intervention | Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) | 99 | -0.8 ± 3.55 | 133 | 0.1 ± 3.53 |
Noh et al. 2020 | Korea | Menopausal |  | SaBang-DolGi walking | 3/w, 12w | 60 min | Usual care | Korea Symptom-Checklist-90-Revision (SCL-95-R) | 21 | 43.57 ± 7.02 | 19 | 45.84 ± 8.94 |
Sen et al. 2020 | Turkey | Postmenopausal | 50–65 | Whole-body vibration | 3/w, 24w | 20–60 min | No intervention | Beck depression inventory (BDI) | 15 | 9 ± 3.3 | 18 | 15.9 ± 6.5 |
Sternfeld et al. 2014 | USA | Late perimenopausal or postmenopausal | 40–65 | Exercise training | 3/w, 12w | 40–60 min, 50–70% of heart rate reserve, moderate intensity | No intervention | Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) | 78 | -0.9 ± 3.38 | 135 | 0.1 ± 3.53 |
Takahashi et al. 2019 | Japan | Postmenopausal | 45–55 | increased physical activities | 8 w | >=3METs, moderate to vigorous intensity | No intervention | Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) | 19 | 2.9 ± 1.7 | 19 | 2.9 ± 2.6 |
Villaverde Gutiérrez et al. 2012 | Spain | Postmenopausal |  | Exercise training | 2–3/w, 12w | 50–60 min, 50–85% maximum heart rate reserve, moderate intensity | No intervention | Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) | 27 | 12.11 ± 2.4 | 30 | 15.05 ± 2.6 |
Zhao et al. 2020 | China | Menopausal | 50–70 | 24 forms taichi | 3/w, 48w | 60 min, 55–65% maximum heart rate reserve, moderate intensity | No intervention | Kupperman Scale | 36 | 0.8 ± 0.7 | 38 | 1.8 ± 0.9 |