An Umbrella Review of the Impact of Nature-Based Physical Activity on Depression

Background

Depression is one of the most common and severe mental disorders worldwide. While physical activity has been found to reduce depression, emerging evidence suggests that moving in the context of natural environments may further enhance the psychological benefits of physical activity, something that is gaining increased focus in urban public health planning. This umbrella review synthesises review-level evidence to clarify the potential benefits of nature-based physical activity over non-nature-based physical activity for reducing depression.

Methods

We registered a protocol for this review (CRD420251170152) and searched six databases including Embase and Pubmed from inception to January 2026. Eligible studies were systematic reviews examining physical activity interventions conducted in natural environments compared with similar interventions without a nature component. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, full-texts, and extracted data. Methodological quality was assessed using the AMSTAR-2 tool.

Results

Out of the 2,202 articles, we included 168 articles for full-text screening and found 33 systematic reviews that met the inclusion criteria. Across reviews, nature‑based physical activity generally showed greater acute reductions in depressive symptoms compared with non-nature-based physical activity. Evidence for acute effects consistently favoured nature-based interventions. However, there appeared to be inconclusive evidence for longitudinal benefits of nature-based physical activity for reducing depression.

Conclusions

Based on synthesised review‑level evidence we found that physical activity performed in natural environments provides meaningful additional benefits to reductions in depression beyond physical activity alone. Public health strategies that incorporate accessible natural settings could be used to alleviate depression at population scale. Future research could examine longer‑term psychological outcomes.

Key messages

• Physical activity performed in natural environments appears to provide meaningful additional benefits to reductions in depression beyond physical activity alone.

• There is an abundant amount of research investigating the short-term impacts of nature-based physical activity yet a lack of longitudinal studies on the topic.