Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults (original) (raw)
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Physical (in)activity and depression in older people
Journal of Affective Disorders, 2014
Background: Knowledge about characteristics explaining low level of physical activity in late-life depression is needed to develop specific interventions aimed at improving physical health in depressed people above the age of 60. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older Persons (NESDO), a longitudinal multi-site naturalistic cohort study. People aged 60 and over with current depression and a non-depressed comparison group were included, and total amount of PA per week was assessed with the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Depression characteristics, socio-demographics, cognitive function, somatic condition, psycho-social, environment and other lifestyle factors were added in a multiple regression analysis. Results: Depressed persons 460 y were less physically active in comparison with non-depressed subjects. The difference was determined by somatic condition (especially, functional limitations) and by psychosocial characteristics (especially sense of mastery). Within the depressed subgroup only, a lower degree of physical activity was associated with more functional limitations, being an inpatient, and the use of more medication, but not with the severity of the depression. Limitation: This study is based on cross-sectional data, so no conclusions can be drawn regarding causality.
Physical Activity and Functional Fitness as Well as Level of Depression in Seniors
Journal of Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences
Aim. The aim of the study was to determine the level of motor activity, functional and motion fitness of seniors above the age of 60 as well as to examine the relationship between physical activity and the level of depression in this group of people. Material and methods. The study covered a group of 50 participants above the age of 60. The Seven-day Physical Activity Recall, ADL, IADL and GDS scales, as well as the Tinetti test and the authors’ specially designed questionnaire were used. Results. Analysis of the results showed a relationship between age, education as well as chronic diseases and the level of undertaken physical activity. A significant relationship was found between the level of activity and functional and motion performance as well as the emotional state of the elderly. There was no relationship between gender, place of residence and self-assessment of health state and the level of physical activity. The most important motivating factor for performing physical acti...
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 2011
This study was aimed to investigate in a sample of Spanish elderly whether measures of physical activity are related to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and symptoms of depression in community dwelling and institutionalized elderly. The sample was a cohort of 436 elderly (234 women and 202 men, aged 60-98 years) from the North of Spain. 58% were community-dwellers and 42% were institutionalized in senior residences. Participants completed measures of physical activity (Yale Physical Activity Survey, YPAS), HRQoL (Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey, SF-36) and symptoms of depression (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS). All SF-36 domains, except role-emotional, were significantly correlated with the YPAS activity dimension summary index. Physical function, rolephysical, general health and vitality correlated with total time activity, and correlations were observed between weekly energy expenditure and physical function, role physical, vitality and mental health. Depressive symptom scores correlated significantly with the YPAS activity dimension summary index and the weekly energy expenditure. Scores for various domains of the SF-36 and for depressive symptoms significantly differed among less and more active individuals of the same sex and institutionalization category. Differences generally reached a higher extent in institutionalized subjects in comparison to community dwellers. In conclusion, physical activity was related to different domains of both the physical and mental components of HRQoL and to decreased depressive symptoms. Results emphasize the positive effects of physical activity in both community-dwelling and institutionalized older adults.
Depressive symptoms in older adults: the role of physical activity and social support
Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 2021
Objective To evaluate the role of social support in the association between physical activity (PA) in its various domains and depressive symptoms in older adults. Methods This was a cross-sectional study involving 399 older adults seen at basic health units in the municipality of Recife, state of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. Linear regression was implemented using the forward method to assess the association between PA and its domains and depressive symptoms, as well as to test the possible moderating component of social support in this association. Results Of the total sample, 17.6% reported not practicing PA; 6.7% presented depressive symptoms, with a mean score of 1.59 points. A total of 18.6% of the older adults assessed reported not having social support. Older adults who did not practice total, transportation or domestic PA showed increased scores of depressive symptoms when compared to older adults who practiced PA in these domains. Older adults with social support also h...
Physical Activity, Depression and Anxiety Among the Elderly
Social Indicators Research, 2013
The aim of this study was to compare by sex, physical activity, and academic qualifications the symptomatology of depression among elders. The sample consisted of 140 elderly, 70 elements were male and 70 female, aged over 62 years. The instruments used to assess the dependent variables were the Scale of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity, the Beck Depressive Inventory and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Significant gender effects were obtained demonstrating that those who practiced physical activity had lower rates of depression and anxiety. Comparisons showed that women had higher values than men. At the level of educational attainment it was found that individuals with lower level of education tended to have higher values for both depression and anxiety. Finally, a significant correlation was identified between physical activity, depression and anxiety, and for trait anxiety, however this correlation was not statistically significant. It was concluded that physical activity is associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety.
Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, 2016
Participation in physical activities declines with age (Hunter, Thompson, & Adams, 2000; Westerterp & Meijer, 2001). This decline is unfortunate because physical activity has been shown to benefit cognitive functioning in older adults. In cross-sectional studies, older adults who engaged in aerobic activities performed better on measures of working memory and fluid intelligence compared to those engaged in sedentary activities (Lochbaum, Karoly, & Landers, 2002; van Boxtel, Langerak, Houx, & Jolles, 1996). In longitudinal studies, older sedentary adults who began and maintained an aerobic exercise program for at least 6 months performed better on measures of processing speed, executive functioning, and memory (Colcombe & Kramer, 2003). Based upon these studies, it is clear that engaging in physical activity may lead to cognitive benefits, which is one of the vital components necessary for successful aging (Rowe & Kahn, 1997). Two mechanisms by which physical activity may promote successful cognitive aging are the depression-reduction hypothesis and the social-stimulation hypothesis. The depression reduction hypothesis asserts that depression interferes with normal cognitive functioning; therefore, successful strategies to reduce depression will automatically improve cognitive functioning. This hypothesis is based upon two facts. First, depressive symptoms are correlated with poor cognitive functioning in older adults (
Depression and Anxiety, 2018
Background: Television (TV) viewing and computer use have been associated with higher risk of depression, but studies specifically assessing the impact of these and other types of sedentary behaviors (SBs) on the mental health of older adults are scarce and their results are inconclusive. Similarly, the association between specific types of recreational physical activity (rPA) and mental health in older adults is poorly understood. Methods: In 2012, information on SBs, rPA, and other health behaviors was collected with validated questionnaires from community-dwelling older adults participating in the Seniors-ENRICA cohort. In 2012 and 2015, symptoms of depression and mental distress were assessed using the GDS-10 and the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), respectively. Results: Time spent watching TV was prospectively associated with higher (worse) GDS-10 scores in women ([95% confidence interval (CI)] comparing the second and third tertiles of TV viewing to the first
Psychiatry Research, 2019
Physical activity (PA) is linked to reduced risk of depression, but research on the objectively measured PA in clinically diagnosed adult outpatients with major depressive disorder (MDD) is scarce. This study aimed to examine relationships of objectively measured PA with depression and mood. A total of 19 outpatients (6 males) with MDD, a mean age of 47.79 ± 11.67 years and mild-moderate depression participated in the study. To record PA, participants wore a triaxial accelerometer device on the right hip during waking hours for seven consecutive days. Depression and mood were assessed with self-reports immediately after day seven. Participants wore the accelerometers for a high number of days (M = 6.26 ± 1.24 days) and hours per day (13.40 ± 2.61 h), recording light (266.01 ± 100.74 min/day) or moderate (31.19 ± 24.90 min/day) PA, and sedentary time (515.33 ± 155.71 min/day). Stepwise regression analysis yield a significant prediction (p < .05) with only moderate PA contributing to the prediction of depression (Beta = −0.47, p < .05). The model explained 22% of the variance of depression. Our findings provide valuable preliminary evidence regarding the relationship between objectively measured PA and lower depression in clinically diagnosed outpatients with MDD, suggesting moderate PA may help alleviating depressive symptoms.