Exercising Out of Doors Is More Beneficial than Indoor Activity

The cold weather we are experiencing is not necessarily conducive to outdoor physical activity, apart from winter sports. However, most of us look forward to the time when we can walk (or run) outside, rather than on a treadmill. Evidence is accumulating to show that there are added benefits to exercise done in a natural environment. Scientists from Exeter, UK, conducted a systematic review of published medical literature containing controlled trials on the effects of outdoor exercise with those from indoor exercise. The published their findings in the research journal Environmental Science and Technology.

There were 11 randomized and non-randomized controlled trials containing information from 833 adults. Most participants were young students. All the "interventions" consisted of a single episode of walking or running indoors with the same activity at a similar level conducted outdoors on a separate occasion. There were 13 different outcome measures for mental well-being, and for measures used to assess the subjects’ attitude to exercise.

Most of the trials (9/13) showed some improvement in mental well-being in one or other of the measures. Exercising out of doors was associated with greater feelings of revitalization and positive engagement, decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression, and increased energy. However, feelings of calmness decreased with outdoor exercise. Subjectively, the participants reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity.

Although this analysis shows positive results for moving physical activity out of doors, the poor methodology and quality of the available evidence and the variability in the outcome measures used means the findings are not on a very sure footing. Not surprisingly, the researchers recommend further research using large, well-designed, longer-term studies in populations who might benefit most from the potential advantages of outdoor exercise. In the meantime, I suggest you move outside as soon as the weather allows.