Association between physical activity, depressive symptoms, and cardiometabolic risk factors in brazilian adults.
Abstract
Background
We aimed to investigate the combined association of physical activity (PA) and the presence of depressive symptoms with cardiometabolic risk factors in Brazilian adults.
Methods
This cross-sectional analysis included adults undergoing preventive health check-ups at a Brazilian hospital (2008-2022). PA was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (active: ≥150 min/week) and depressive symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (depressive symptoms: ≥14). Cardiometabolic risk factors were body mass index, waist circumference, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting glucose, hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia. Participants were categorized into four mutually exclusive groups, according to the physical activity and depressive symptoms status: active without depressive symptoms, active with depressive symptoms, inactive without depressive symptoms and inactive with depressive symptoms. Multivariable logistic regression estimated associations, adjusted for age, sex, alcohol, and tobacco use.
Results
A total of 51,592 adults (mean age = 44.0, 31.5% women) participated in the study. Compared to the group that was active without depressive symptoms, participants with physical inactivity and depressive symptoms consistently showed higher odds of most cardiometabolic risk factors, including overweight/obesity (OR: 2.21; 95%CI: 2.06-2.36), high waist circumference (OR: 3.09; 95%CI: 2.88-3.30), and elevated triglycerides (OR: 2.16; 95%CI: 2.01-2.32). There were additive interactions between physical inactivity and depressive symptoms in the association with overweight/obesity and high waist circumference.
Conclusion
Participants with physical inactivity and depressive symptoms consistently exhibited higher odds of a wide range of cardiometabolic risk factors, and the presence of both was associated with markedly higher odds of obesity-related outcomes.