In a recent study researchers were not able to find a link between physical activity and depressive symptoms in adolescents.
A reduction in personal and financial cost linked to depression could have a great benefit on society, and preventative measures during early life have been suggested as a method to combat the condition, The JAMA Network Journals reported. In the past physical activity (PA) has been cited as a way to prevent depression, but evidence on this link has never been clear.
To make their findings researchers conducted a longitudinal study of 736 participants with an average age of 14.5 years. The participants were followed for three years from the baseline in a study lasting between November 2005 and January 2010. The authors used physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) and moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) measures to complete their analysis. The participants were then asked to fill out a questionnaire on mood symptoms three years after the baseline.
The researchers were not able to find a link between PA levels at 14 years of age depressive symptoms at 17 years.
Some U.S. experts questioned the study's findings because the researchers did not distinguish between which types of activity was performed or if it was done voluntarily or as part of their physical education curriculum, HealthDay reported.
"Our findings do not eliminate the possibility that PA positively affects depressed mood in the general population; rather, we suggest that this effect may be small or nonexistent during the period of adolescence. ...," the researchers said, JAMA Network Journals reported.
"Our findings carry important public policy implications because they help to clarify the effect of PA on depressive symptoms in the general population. Although PA has numerous benefits to physical health in later life, such positive effects may not be expected on depressive outcomes during adolescence," the researchers concluded.
The findings were published Oct. 13 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
