title: Depressive Symptoms and Walking in African-Americans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although increased frequency of physical activity is associated with fewer depressive symptoms in African-Americans, most studies do not focus on a specific type of activity. Identifying the activity can provide helpful information for designing interventions that focus on depressive symptoms. The objective of this study was to examine the odds of depressive symptoms in relation to walking in African-Americans.
  
  
  METHODS
  A secondary analysis was performed on the National Survey of American Life. The sample was made up of community-dwelling African-American women (n = 1,903) and men (n = 1,075) who did not meet the DSM-IV-TR criteria for depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Walking was measured by self-reported frequency (i.e., never, rarely, sometimes, often). Depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Logistic regression for complex samples was used to examine the odds of depressive symptoms in relation to walking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women who reported often walking had lower odds for depressive symptoms than women who reported never walking (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.38-0.82). Walking frequency was not related to depressive symptoms in men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Walking frequency is a modifiable risk factor for elevated depressive symptoms in African-American women.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Elisa R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: Carolyn M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sampselle
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: Harold W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Neighbors
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Ronis
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Kimberlee A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gretebeck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: African-Americans; United States; depression; exercise; mental health; physical activity