Physical activity, exercise and mental disorders: It is time to move on.

Physical activity, conceptualized as any bodily movement that results in energy expenditure, and its structured form, exercise are important in the prevention and treatment of a wide range of physical conditions, including metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and obesity. Compelling evidence has demonstrated that physical activity and exercise can also prevent common mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety disorders, and have multiple beneficial effects on physical and mental health of people with a wide range of mental disorders. This body of evidence has been incorporated in national and international guidelines over the last decades, recommending the inclusion of physical activity and exercise as therapeutic approaches for mental disorders, mainly for depression and schizophrenia. Nonetheless, implementation into clinical practice has been slow, probably due to mental health professionals and patients' barriers. This article aims to provide a brief overview and summary of the evidence on 1) the preventive effects of physical activity for a wide range of mental disorders; 2) the role of physical activity in physical health promotion of people with mental disorders; 3) the role of exercise as a strategy to manage mental health symptoms for a range of mental disorders; and 4) the challenges and barriers faced when implementing exercise in clinical practice.