Introduction: Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in older adults. It has many negative functional, cognitive and social consequences. It mainly affects older adults who already have chronic diseases or cognitive impairment. It is a cause of suffering, family disruption, disability, it worsens the outcomes of many health conditions and it increases mortality. In this population, regular exercise could have a positive effect on depression, but it is not specified what the parameters of such exercise programme should be. Purpose: The aim of this thesis is to analyse the effects of physical activity on older adults with depression. Methods: We used a descriptive method of work with a review and analysis of the literature. We searched the articles in PubMed and PMC databases. Results: Six randomised controlled trials that met the inclusion criteria were included in the literature review. A total of 1400 subjects were included in the surveys. Exercise programmes included aerobic, strength, balance or dual-task exercises. Statistically significant differences in the improvement of depression symptoms were found in three studies. Symptoms of depression were assessed by different scales. Two of the three studies also showed an improvement in physical performance. The three studies that showed a positive effect of exercise on older adults with depression had either aerobic exercise, strength training or a combination of the two as an intervention. Discussion and conclusion: Based on the research reviewed, a guided exercise programme could have a positive impact on older adults with depression or symptoms of depression. There is still no universal answer as to what programme would be the most appropriate for these individuals. It would also be difficult to get a universal programme, as people differ in the type of exercise they want to do. Future studies should include a larger number of subjects and place more emphasis on the motivation of participants, as drop-out rates were very high in some studies.
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