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Exercise as depression treatment? small trial puts supervised workouts to the test

NCT ID NCT07836582

Symptom relief Sponsor: Universite du Quebec en Outaouais Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 23, 2026 · Last updated Sep 24, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers are testing whether a 9-week supervised physical activity program can be delivered as planned and whether adults with obesity and mild to moderate depression will stick with it. Participants attend two 45-minute sessions a week led by a kinesiologist, choosing activities like walking, running, or kickboxing. They also answer short mood questions on a phone app several times a day. The trial compares the exercise program with usual care to see if the approach is practical and acceptable, and to explore how depression symptoms change over time.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
a supervised physical activity program led by a kinesiologist
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward exercise as a practical add-on for easing depression in adults with obesity, and it could set up a larger trial to test the idea properly.
What could go wrong
This is a small feasibility study of 26 people, so it is not designed to prove that exercise treats depression. Many participants may drop out, and any mood changes could come from other factors.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 26 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Jan 2027

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adult (≥ 18 years old) * Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m² * Mild to moderate depressive symptoms (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression -Rating Scale \[MADRS\] score ≥ 7 and \< 35) * Less than 90 minutes of moderate physical activity per week * Fewer than 2 structured physical activity sessions per week Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnant or breastfeeding * Absolute contraindication to physical activity (as determined by the Get Active Questionnaire) * Severe psychiatric comorbidity likely to interfere with participation or interpretation of results (bipolar affective disorder, schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, or severe post-traumatic stress disorder) * Unstable treatment or symptoms: any change to background treatment (pharmacological and/or psychotherapeutic) within the past 3 months, OR unstable symptoms over the past 3 months if not on medication

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Depression depressive disorder Motor Activity Obesity obesity disorder Overweight

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Depression disorders Obesity & overweight

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    3 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal

    Montreal, Quebec, H1N 3M5, Canada

  • Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ)

    Québec, Quebec, G1V 4G5, Canada

  • Université du Québec en Outaouais

    Gatineau, Quebec, J8X3X7, Canada

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