Background. Although the literature on increased physical fitness and psych
ological outcomes has grown large, a number of methodological limitations r
emain unaddressed. The present study was designed to address a number of th
ese limitations while examining the short- and long-term psychological effe
cts following completion of a 12-week aerobic fitness program using bicycle
ergometry (and confirmed increases in fitness).
Method. Following completion of a la-week aerobic fitness program (and thro
ugh 12 months of follow-up), 82 adult participants completed the Beck Depre
ssion Inventory, Profile of Mood States, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and
the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. Physiological measures used to assess ch
anges in aerobic fitness were maximal work load, submaximal heart rate at a
standard work load, predicted maximum oxygen uptake, and resting heart rat
e.
Results. Exercise participants experienced a positive fitness change and ps
ychological improvement over the initial la-week program compared to a cont
rol group. At 1 year follow-up, physiological and psychological benefits re
mained significantly improved from baseline.
Conclusions. Overall, results indicate that exercise-induced increases in a
erobic fitness have beneficial short-term and long-term effects on psycholo
gical outcomes. We postulate that participants in the exercise group did no
t increase the amount of weekly exercise they performed over the la-month f
ollow-up period and thus the maintenance of the psychological improvements
occurred concurrent with equal or lesser amounts of exercise, (C) 1999 Amer
ican Health Foundation and Academic Press.