Aerobic exercise could help teens reduce depressive symptoms even if they don’t have clinical depression.

The research, which was an analysis of previous trial data, found that a 12-month aerobic exercise program was more effective than mood and depression education sessions for teens with symptoms of depression where the symptoms did not yet meet clinical thresholds of depression.

The researchers also found that the exercise was linked to changes in brainwave scans, which could be used as markers to build personalised exercise-based interventions for teens.