137: Stuart Biddle on Exercise and Mental Health

In this episode, we're joined by Prof Stuart Biddle, a leading figure in the psychology of physical activity, based at the University of Southern Queensland.

Stuart's extensive work in exercise science and psychology provides groundbreaking insights into how exercise impacts our wellbeing.

Our discussion today spans Stuart's illustrious career, from his early days contributing to the foundational layers of exercise science to his current work, which includes a significant focus on the mental health benefits of physical activity. We delve into his latest collaborative research, which offers new insights into exercise as a potent intervention for depression, examining the effectiveness of various forms of physical activity and their impact on mental health.

As we get into the research and the implications, we inevitably go off on a few important tangents

• What type of exercise is most effective for depressive states?
• Is one type of exercise more beneficial for men vs women?
• Is moderate or intense exercise more effective?
• How do you coach people to start and sustain exercise?
• And importantly how do you get children to eat more fruit and vegetables?

Stuart’s knowledge of this landscape is vast, but it is clear, conditional, nuanced and specific. It is little wonder he advises the World health organisation on physical activity policy. But also listen in as we take this digression from our more traditional focus on performance, this discussion is littered with advice about how we encourage, coach and make an impact on others.

The cherry on top of the cake is a just the best quote about physical activity ever from the one and only Per Olof Astrand!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10870815/

https://twitter.com/stuart_biddle

https://staffprofile.unisq.edu.au/Profile/Stuart-Biddle

https://www.routledge.com/Psychology-of-Physical-Activity-Determinants-Well-Being-and-Interventions/Biddle-Mutrie-Gorely-Faulkner/p/book/9781032172033