Physical activity and depression: a large cross-sectional, population-based study across 36 low- and middle-income countries

Stubbs B 1 , Koyanagi A 2 , Schuch FB 3 , Firth J 4 , Rosenbaum S 5 , Veronese N 6 Show all authors , Solmi M 7 , Mugisha J 8 , Vancampfort D 9

Affiliations 

  • 1 Physiotherapy Department, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
  • 2 Research and Development Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
  • 3 Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
  • 4 Institute of Brain, Behaviour and Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
  • 5 Department of Exercise Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
  • 6 Geriatrics Division, Department of Medicine-DIMED, University of Padova, Italy, Institute of clinical Research and Education in Medicine (IREM), Padova, Italy
  • 7 Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
  • 8 Kyambogo University, Kampala, Uganda
  • 9 KU Leuven Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
Acta Psychiatr Scand, 2016 12;134(6):546-556.
PMID: 27704532 DOI: 10.1111/acps.12654

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Physical activity (PA) is good for health, yet several small-scale studies have suggested that depression is associated with low PA. A paucity of nationally representative studies investigating this relationship exists, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study explored the global association of PA with depression and its mediating factors.
METHOD: Participants from 36 LMICs from the World Health Survey were included. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were undertaken exploring the relationship between PA and depression.
RESULTS: Across 178 867 people (mean ± SD age = 36.2 ± 13.5 years; 49.9% male), the prevalence of depression and the prevalence of low PA were 6.6% and 16.8% respectively. The prevalence of low PA was significantly higher among those with depression vs. no depression (26.0% vs. 15.8%, P < 0.0001). In the adjusted model, depression was associated with higher odds for low PA (OR = 1.42; 95% CI = 1.24-1.63). Mediation analyses demonstrated that low PA among people with depression was explained by mobility limitations (40.3%), pain and discomfort (35.8%), disruptions in sleep and energy (25.2%), cognition (19.4%) and vision (10.9%).
CONCLUSION: Individuals with depression engage in lower levels of PA in LMICs. Future longitudinal research is warranted to better understand the relationships observed.
Study name: World Health Survey (Malaysia is a study site)

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

MeSH terms
Similar publications