Seven out of ten of us will experience depression at some stage in our lives but according to the experts, we would be better off going for a brisk walk than swallowing a pill. Health Correspondent Barry Nelson reports.

WE are in the middle of an exercise boom, with thousands of lycra-clad "gym bunnies" working out at their local club. Most people who join health clubs are probably more interested in their waistline and muscle tone than in their state of mind.

But in the midst of National Depression Week (April 19-25), a poll of physiotherapists working in mental health suggests that the experts believe any form of exercise is beneficial in combating the most common form of mental illness.

This common sense approach to relieving depression may become even more important in the future. According to the World Health Organisation, depression will be the greatest burden of illness after heart disease. The British Medical Association says at least ten per cent of the population is depressed at any one time - around five million people.

According to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), 57 per cent of their members who work in mental health care are convinced that physical activity is the most effective way to overcome mild to moderate depression.

Health charity Mind says depression is the most common form of mental illness, and signs of this little understood condition include intense sadness, greatly reduced physical activity, agitation with apparent distress, feelings of guilt or unworthiness and weight loss or gain.

Episodes of depression usually last for between six and nine months but in a minority of people, the condition can persist for two years or more.

The CSP's findings about the value of exercise in combating depression follow a survey of family doctors by the medical research company Dr Foster, which found that GPs believe they are over-prescribing antidepressant drugs such as Prozac and Seroxat because of the lack of other forms of treatment.

Gaining access to a chartered physiotherapist specialising in mental healthcare is not a straightforward process because access to such specialised care is limited.

But to help people with depression - and help others to stay positive and keep the blues at bay - the CSP has worked with its specialist mental health members to develop a guide that focuses on exercise as a means to alleviate the physical and emotional symptoms that the condition can cause. While the full guide is available by visiting the CSP website (see end of article) the organisation has also produced a short self-help guide reproduced below.

Erica Rose, a chartered physiotherapist working in the independent mental health sector in York, has no doubt that exercise is beneficial - even walking the dog, digging the garden and going for a stroll around the local park.

"When somebody is depressed it is the whole person which is affected. Mental health always has a physical side," says Erica. "When people are inactive their posture is poor and if someone's body is like this, it is like swimming against the tide to try to change their feelings."

For Erica, it is clear that getting a depressed person exercising breaks the cycle of depression and increases their awareness and interaction with the wider environment around them - "all the sights, sounds and sensations of everyday life that can help move people out of depression," she says.

Doing something physical, particularly if you can try to do something every day, helps people to sleep better and can stimulate a more normal appetite. "You don't need to join a gym. Why not try something accessible which everybody can do? Walking is very good - after all, it is what we were designed to do as part of the hunter-gatherer life that our ancestors led," says Erica.

She believes that choosing an activity which you enjoy is just as important as exercising in the first place: "You should enjoy doing it, it shouldn't become just another chore. Why not wash the car, do some yoga, try something different every day?"

The mental health charity Mind is keen on getting people moving as part of an everyday maintenance programme to boost mental health and well being. Muriel Gordon, who manages the Newton Aycliffe branch of Mind, was so impressed by the response to a short course of Chinese-inspired exercises, incorporating a mixture of Tai Chi, yoga and pilates that a second, more advanced course is about to get under way.

"We asked the service users what they would like and they wanted something that would bring in the feelgood factor. It went down so well we have decided to run another course. It has been very well received - they got a lot out of it. You can see that they look different afterwards, they have a healthy glow," she says.

Like many Mind groups, the Newton Aycliffe branch supports exercise on prescription schemes run by the local primary care trust. This increasingly common approach to mental health as well as physical health involves GPs prescribing cut-price exercise sessions at their local leisure centre. "One of the best things about the scheme is that people meet other people and make new friends," says Muriel.

Helen Mills, chief executive of Darlington Mind, agrees that helping people to forge new relationships is one of the most important benefits of organised activities. "We have what we call body and mind weekly groups. We play some sort of sport or take part in some form of activity, from rounders in South Park to swimming and squash at the Dolphin Centre," she says.

"We run loads of different courses, including sessions which are intended to help people manage their depression. In those sessions, we always talk about exercise and the benefits that can be derived. In fact, it would be fair to say that irrespective of what diagnosis you have, exercise can be very good for you."