Citation

Galán-Arroyo C, Pereira-Payo D, Rojo-Ramos J, Hernández-Mocholí MA, Merellano-Navarro E, Pérez-Gómez J, Denche-Zamorano, Adsuar JC. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022; 19(5): e2829.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph19052829

PMID

35270524

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Depression is a disabling mental illness and therefore also a serious public health problem. It affects 5% of the adult population in the world and is the leading cause of disability, with an annual cost of USD one trillion. In Spain, its prevalence is 13.4%, costing EUR 6000 million a year. Physical inactivity has been linked to an increase in depressive symptoms, with physical activity associated with an improvement in health-related quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: To calculate the odds ratio (OR) and relative risk (RR) of suffering from depression and taking antidepressants in the inactive Spanish population compared to groups with a higher level of physical activity.

METHOD: 17,141 individuals aged 18-69 years residing in Spain and interviewed in the 2017 Spanish National Health Survey were included in this cross-sectional investigation.

RESULTS: Dependence relationships were found between the level of physical activity and the prevalence of depression and taking antidepressants (p < 0.001). We found elevated ORs and RRs for depression and antidepressant use in inactive people compared to those with a high/very high level of physical activity (Depression: OR: 4.32. CI95%: 3.35-5.57. RR: 1.59. 95% CI: 1.51-1.68; Antidepressants: OR: 4.95. CI95%: 3.59-6.82. RR: 1.61. CI95%: 1.52-1.71).

CONCLUSIONS: Belonging to an inactive population group increases the risk of suffering from depression and of taking antidepressants.

Language: en

Keywords

physical activity; depression; health; active population; antidepressants; inactive population; sedentary lifestyle