News round-up: exercise and depression

In 2004, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published guidelines which advised that people who are affected by depression should engage in up to three exercise sessions a week in order to help relieve some of the symptoms. Since then, this advice has regularly returned to the headlines in various stories (see these examples from 2010 and from only a couple of months ago, for example). Now, however, the results of a new NHS-funded study have suggested otherwise, coming to the conclusion that combining exercise with conventional treatments for depression does not improve recovery.

The news has prompted much debate, with people who have used physical activity to help relieve their depression coming forward to offer their experiences and others offering arguments in favour.

The official NHS Choices website has also issued a detailed statement about the research, which clarifies the limitations of the study and emphasises the continued benefits of exercise.

More of the week's headlines

Brain training 'helps treat depression' (BBC News, Friday 8 June)

'Ground-breaking' changes for London cancer patients (BBC News, Thursday 7 June)

What sex education is available for young people with a learning disability? (The Guardian, Thursday 7 June)

Dwarfs threaten '100-midget march' over Snow White and the Huntsman film (The Independent, Thursday 7 June)

Autism 'could be triggered by very low doses of anti-depressants or other chemicals found in water supply' (Daily Mail, Thursday 7 June)

Woman with learning difficulties 'trains her brain' (BBC News, Wednesday 6 June)

Lee Ridley: making comedy out of silence (The Guardian, Wednesday 6 June)

NHS millions used to 'prop up crumbling care system', report shows (The Telegraph, Wednesday 6 June)

Unborn babies could be tested for 3,500 genetic faults (The Telegraph, Wednesday 6 June)

ParalympicsGB: Who will compete for Great Britain in London (BBC Disability Sport, Tuesday 5 June)

Husband a right old grump? He could be one of thousands who have Asperger's without realising (Daily Mail, Tuesday 5 June)

Stem cell scientists take hope from first human trials but see long road ahead (The Guardian, Monday 4 June)

What Katie Price did next (The Guardian, Monday 4 June)

Electrical stimulation of the brain: the benefits of the short, sharp shock (The Guardian, Sunday 3 June)

UN calls for investigation of US school's shock treatments of autistic children (The Guardian, Saturday 2 June)

One fan's mission to Lars (The Guardian, Saturday 2 June)

Premature birth linked to worse mental health (BBC News, Friday 1 June)

Fergus Walsh: 'Hope' for the paralysed? (BBC News, Friday 1 June)

Diabetes drug 'doubles bladder cancer risk' (The Telegraph, Friday 1 June)

Remploy staff stage Cardiff protest over Wales closures (BBC News, Friday 1 June)