Habitual physical activity and the risk for depressive and anxiety disorders among older men and women.
BACKGROUND
Regular physical activity is generally associated with psychological well-being, although there are relatively few prospective studies in older adults. We investigated habitual physical activity as a risk factor for de novo depressive and anxiety disorders in older men and women from the general population.


METHODS
In this nested case-control study, subjects aged 60 years or more were identified from randomly selected cohorts being followed prospectively in the Geelong Osteoporosis Study. Cases were individuals with incident depressive or anxiety disorders, diagnosed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR (SCID-I/NP); controls had no history of these disorders. Habitual physical activity, measured using a validated questionnaire, and other exposures were documented at baseline, approximately four years prior to psychiatric interviews. Those with depressive or anxiety disorders that pre-dated baseline were excluded.


RESULTS
Of 547 eligible subjects, 14 developed de novo depressive or anxiety disorders and were classified as cases; 533 controls remained free of disease. Physical activity was protective against the likelihood of depressive and anxiety disorders; OR = 0.55 (95% CI 0.32-0.94), p = 0.03; each standard deviation increase in the transformed physical activity score was associated with an approximate halving in the likelihood of developing depressive or anxiety disorders. Leisure-time physical activity contributed substantially to the overall physical activity score. Age, gender, smoking, alcohol consumption, weight and socioeconomic status did not substantially confound the association.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides evidence consistent with the notion that higher levels of habitual physical activity are protective against the subsequent risk of development of de novo depressive and anxiety disorders.
Pasco
Julie A
JA
Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Barwon Health, The University of Melbourne, Geelong, Australia. juliep@barwonhealth.org.au
Williams
Lana J
LJ
Jacka
Felice N
FN
Henry
Margaret J
MJ
Coulson
Carolyn E
CE
Brennan
Sharon L
SL
Leslie
Eva
E
Nicholson
Geoffrey C
GC
Kotowicz
Mark A
MA
Berk
Michael
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires