Table_1_Personalized individual-based exercise prescriptions are effective in treating depressive symptoms of college students during the COVID-19: A randomized controlled trial in China.DOCX

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has seriously increased depression prevalence among the public, including Chinese college students. However, many exercise cannot be performed as usual under the stay-at-home order. This study was a 12-week three-arm randomized controlled trial using the intention-to-treat principle, aiming to explore and compare the feasibility and effect of individual-based personalized aerobic-exercise and resistance-training prescriptions on depressive symptoms in college students, and conclude with some recommendations for individual-based exercise prescriptions.
MethodsEighty-six college students with depressive symptoms were randomized into aerobic-exercise (AE), resistance-training (RT), and wait-list control (WLC) groups. Participants in two experimental groups received 12-week personalized AE and RT prescriptions on their individual situations, respectively. No intervention was implemented on participants in the WLC group. Depressive symptoms and physical activity (PA) were measured by Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), respectively. All data were collected at the baseline, 4, 8, and 12 weeks, and 4-week post-intervention.
ResultsAt 12 weeks, 72.09% of depressive participants improved to “normal.” Participants exhibited a statistical reduction in SDS in all 3 groups (p < 0.05) at 12 weeks compared to baseline. Follow-up assessments showed no significant increase in SDS at 4-week post-intervention compared to 12 weeks (p > 0.05). The independent t-test revealed significantly lower SDS in AE and RT group than in WLC group (pAE < 0.001 and pRT < 0.05) at 4, 8, and 12 weeks, and 4-week post-intervention. Furthermore, the PA of participants (including total PA and intensities) in both experimental groups represented a significant improvement at 4-week post-intervention compared to baseline (p < 0.05), while no differences were observed in the PA of participants in the WLC group (p > 0.05).
ConclusionPersonalized exercise prescriptions have good feasibility as they can increase adherence to intervention and reduce serious adverse events. Besides, individual-based personalized aerobic-exercise and resistance-training prescriptions result in a similar effect in relieving depressive symptoms and improving physical activity in college students. The individual-based exercise programs performed in 45- to 60- min with progressive moderate-to-vigorous intensity, 3 times/week for at least 12 weeks, may reduce depressive symptoms in college students during the COVID-19.

研究背景：新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）大流行显著提升了公众的抑郁症患病率，其中包括中国大学生群体。然而在居家令要求下，多数人群无法如常开展体育运动。本研究为一项遵循意向性治疗（intention-to-treat）原则的12周三臂随机对照试验，旨在探索并比较基于个体的个性化有氧运动处方与抗阻训练处方对大学生抑郁症状的可行性与干预效果，并最终提出个体化运动处方的相关建议。

研究方法：招募86名存在抑郁症状的大学生，将其随机分为有氧运动（aerobic-exercise, AE）组、抗阻训练（resistance-training, RT）组以及等待列表对照组（wait-list control, WLC）。两个实验组的受试者分别接受为期12周、适配自身个体情况的个性化有氧运动与抗阻训练处方，等待列表对照组受试者则不接受任何干预措施。分别采用Zung自评抑郁量表（Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, SDS）与国际体力活动问卷短卷（International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, IPAQ-SF）对受试者的抑郁症状与身体活动（physical activity, PA）水平进行评估。所有数据分别于基线、第4周、第8周、第12周以及干预后4周进行采集。

研究结果：至第12周时，72.09%的抑郁症状受试者的抑郁水平改善至正常范围。与基线相比，三组受试者在第12周时的SDS评分均呈现统计学显著降低（p < 0.05）。随访评估结果显示，干预后4周时的SDS评分与第12周相比无显著升高（p > 0.05）。独立样本t检验结果表明，在第4周、第8周、第12周以及干预后4周，有氧运动组与抗阻训练组的SDS评分均显著低于等待列表对照组（p_AE < 0.001，p_RT < 0.05）。此外，与基线相比，两个实验组受试者的身体活动水平（包括总身体活动量与运动强度）在干预后4周均呈现显著改善（p < 0.05），而等待列表对照组受试者的身体活动水平未出现显著变化（p > 0.05）。

研究结论：个性化运动处方具备良好的可行性，可提升干预依从性并减少严重不良事件的发生。此外，基于个体的个性化有氧运动与抗阻训练处方在缓解大学生抑郁症状、提升身体活动水平方面效果相当。建议在新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情期间，为大学生制定每周3次、每次45至60分钟、采用渐进式中高强度的个体化运动方案，且持续时长至少12周，以改善其抑郁症状。