Physical Activity Reduces the Risk of Subsequent Depression for Older Adults

Abstract

Previous studies assessing protective effects of physical activity on depression have had conflicting results; one recent study argued that excluding disabled subjects attenuated any observed effects. The authors' objective was to compare the effects of higher levels of physical activity on prevalent and incident depression with and without exclusion of disabled subjects. Participants were 1,947 community-dwelling adults from the Alameda County Study aged 50-94 years at baseline in 1994 with 5 years of follow-up. Depression was measured using criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Physical activity was measured with an eight-point scale; odds ratios are based upon a one-point increase on the scale. Even with adjustments for age, sex, ethnicity, financial strain, chronic conditions, disability, body mass index, alcohol consumption, smoking, and social relations, greater physical activity was protective for both prevalent depression (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.90, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79, 1.01) and incident depression (adjusted OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.96) over 5 years. Exclusion of disabled subjects did not attenuate the incidence results (adjusted OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.67, 0.92). Findings support the protective effects of physical activity on depression for older adults and argue against excluding disabled subjects from similar studies.

Changes over Time in Physical Activity and Psychological Distress among Older Adults

“…A prospective study in a community-based sample of older men and women (aged 50 to 89 years, from 1984 to 1987) in southern California confirmed that exercisers had less depressed mood, 3 but found that exercise did not protect against future depression for those not clinically depressed or disabled at baseline. In contrast, Strawbridge et al 4 found a strong protective effect for PA in their prospective study of adults (n = 1947, aged 50 to 94 years), with a 1-point increase in the 1994 PA scale associated with a nearly 20% reduction in the likelihood of being depressed in 1999. 4 Several limitations have been identified in existing work on the association between PA and psychological outcomes in old age.…”

Depression and Use of a Health Plan–Sponsored Physical Activity Program by Older Adults

“…The risk of lapse in Silver Sneakers attendance was 28%-55% (p<0.05) higher for depressed participants during months [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. For nondepressed Silver Sneakers participants, attendance of at least 2 visits/week during Year 1 was significantly associated with lower risk of depression in Year 2 (OR=0.54; 95%CI= 0.37, 0.79; p=0.002); a similar but statistically nonsignificant association was observed for previously depressed participants (OR=0.51; 95%CI=0.26, 1.02; p=0.06).…”

Running has Differential Effects on NPY, Opiates, and Cell Proliferation in an Animal Model of Depression and Controls

“…Exercise promotes physical health and is also an efficient antidepressant in depressed patients (Blumenthal et al, 1999;Martinsen et al, 1985;Strawbridge et al, 2002) as well as in an animal model of depression (Bj rnebekk et al, 2005). In fact, in a recent follow-up study, continued exercise was more efficient in preventing depressive relapses than antidepressant medication (Babyak et al, 2000).…”