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Embracing physical activity could help Australians reduce depression and anxiety by 15 to 25 percent, a new study predicts.

Although it is well established that moderate to intensive exercise — such as riding a bike to work — is highly beneficial to our physical health, the positive impact on mental health has been considered less certain.

A new study by researchers in Queensland and New South Wales has pooled the results of other reviews to estimate the strength of the association between physical activity and reducing cases of depression and anxiety.

The evidence was strong and also found that the association was likely to be causal: low levels of physical activity actually led to depression and anxiety.

The study was funded by the NSW Ministry of Health to value the health benefits of active transport, including the development the New South Wales Active Transport Health model, and published by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.

See lead researcher Professor Lennert Veerman interviewed about the project and its implications.

The study found the benefits of physical activity are dose dependent, and that higher levels of exercise lead to less depression and anxiety. It also found that any level of physical activity had positive effect, even small levels can be protective, that females benefit as much as males; and that the protective effect applies to people of all ages.

"Our findings provide qualified support for the inclusion of physical activity in potential strategies for the prevention of mental ill health,” the authors say.

"Given the large burden of mental health problems, even small improvements can have a significant effect at population level."

The researchers say true benefits are likely to be even greater than those found in the study as increased physical activity is also know to reduce cardiovascular disease, diabetes, several types of cancer, and other chronic health conditions.