Joint Associations of Meditation and Physical Activity with Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in US Adults: NHIS 2022

The role of physical activity in shaping the relationship between alcohol use and anxiety and depression symptoms: Findings from a U.S. nationwide cohort

Moderate Vigorous Physical Activity for Mental Health in Sedentary Middle-Aged Adults

Findings indicate MVPA consistent with the U.S. PA Guidelines in sedentary middle-aged adults may decrease depression, HbA1c, and CVD risk and should be a priority amongst providers.

Physical activity, anxiety, and depression in workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) has been associated with lower symptoms of anxiety and depression, particularly during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, evidence regarding this association in working populations remains limited. Objective: We assessed the relationship between PA and symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic in working populations. Methods: We searched the PubMed and EMBASE databases in April 2024. Eligible studies included observational designs evaluating PA and anxiety or depression symptoms using validated instruments. Risk of bias was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and meta-analyses were performed using random-effects models to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Nine studies (8 cross-sectional and 1 cohort) involving 7,380 workers were included, with healthcare workers comprising 82.7% of participants. PA was significantly associated with reduced anxiety symptoms (OR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.58 – 0.83; I² = 0%). In addition, a significant association was observed between PA and reduced depressive symptoms (OR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.44 – 0.71; I² = 31.6%). Conclusion: PA practiced during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with lower anxiety and depression symptoms in workers from different settings. 

Associations of Physical Activity and Sleep with Depression, Anxiety, and Loneliness Among U.S. Adults: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Physical activity, strength training, and sleep are important determinants of mental health. The authors of this study examined the associations of these lifestyle behaviors with emotional health outcomes among U.S. adults. Methods Authors conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey® 7, a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults aged ≥18 years (N = 7278). Outcomes included depression (PHQ-2), anxiety (GAD-2), overall loneliness (PROMIS Social Isolation Short Form), social loneliness, and emotional loneliness. Predictors included moderate-intensity physical activity (≥150 min/week), strength training (≥2 days/week), and weekday and weekend sleep duration. Survey-weighted logistic and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related covariates. Results Most respondents screened negative for depression (79.4%) and anxiety (78.4%), and 61.6% reported low loneliness. Most respondents did not meet the recommended levels of moderate-intensity physical activity (56.6%) or strength training (55.4%). In adjusted analyses, meeting strength-training guidelines was associated with lower odds of depression (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53–0.95) and loneliness (aOR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.43–0.98). Moderate-intensity physical activity was not independently associated with emotional health outcomes. Obtaining the recommended 7–9 hours of weekend sleep was associated with lower odds of depression, anxiety, and loneliness, whereas obtaining the recommended weekday sleep duration was associated with lower social and emotional loneliness. Conclusions Strength training and adequate sleep were independently associated with better emotional health among U.S. adults. These findings support muscle-strengthening activities and healthy sleep habits as potential targets for mental health promotion.

Association between purpose in life and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in community-dwelling older adults: FAPRE study data

Objective: To investigate the association between purpose in life (PIL) and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 446 community-dwelling older adults (≥ 60 years) in Patos de Minas, Brazil. PIL was assessed using the 10-item subscale of the Purpose in Life Scale. Depression, anxiety, and stress (primary independent variables) were measured using the DASS-21. Self-perceived health, sex, age, and educational attainment were included as control variables in the regression models. Group comparison tests and Poisson regression with robust variance were applied, adopting a 5% level of statistical significance. Results: Participants with moderate to severe symptoms of depression (PR 1.99; 95% CI 1.40 – 2.83), anxiety (PR 1.71; 95% CI 1.20 – 2.45), and stress (PR 1.43; 95% CI 1.00 – 2.05) had a higher risk of low PIL. Negative self-rated health was also associated with this risk (PR 1.47; 95% CI 1.05 – 2.05), whereas higher educational attainment was associated with a lower risk (PR 0.48; 95% CI 0.23 – 0.88). Conclusions: PIL in older adults was negatively associated with elevated symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, even after controlling for sociodemographic variables and subjective health perception. These findings underscore the need for integrated strategies to promote mental health and purpose in life in aging populations.

Association between physical activity patterns and depressive symptoms in Korean adults: a nationwide crosssectional study.

Background Recently, the "weekend warrior" pattern, characterized by meeting recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines within one or two weekly sessions, has received increasing attention. However, its association with mental health outcomes remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the relationship between PA patterns and depressive symptoms. Methods This study analyzed data from 26,424 adults from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022. PA was assessed by a self-reported questionnaire and classified according to World Health Organization guidelines for moderate-to-vigorous PA. Participants were categorized as inactive (<150 min/ wk), weekend warriors (≥150 min/wk over 1-2 days), or regularly active (≥150 min/wk over ≥3 days). Depressive symptoms were defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥5. Associations were examined using multivariable logistic regression, stratified by sex and age. Results Prevalence of depressive symptoms among participants was 19.3%. The weekend warrior PA pattern was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Contrarily, the regularly active PA pattern was inversely associated with depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66-0.79); this association remained significant after multivariable adjustment (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.74-0.89). In stratified analyses by sex and age group, the regularly active group consistently showed an inverse association with depressive symptoms, whereas no significant association was observed for the weekend warrior PA pattern. Conclusion Regularity of physical activity may be more important for mental health than total activity volume alone.