Physical activity, clinical severity and sociodemographic profile relationship in Major Depression patients

Abstract

Physical activity is showing in recent years to be a good antidepressant complementary strategy for many patients. The association between the degree of physical activity and clinical and sociodemographic characteristics in depression has still not been studied suffciently in large and representative patient samples. Doing so is important to improve the design of programs that promote physical activity in depressive patients. 3374 patients with Major Depression who first came to psychiatric consultation in mental health centres in Spain were recruited. They were classified into three groups according to the level of weekly physical activity declared. In this study we compared the most physical activity declared group (n = 1033; 30.6%) with less physical activity declared group (n = 858; 25.4%). Most physically active patients had lower clinical depression severity according to the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scale. They were also younger, with higher education level and employment status; do not tend to live alone and less tobacco use. However, when all these variables were controlled, di!erences in MADRS Scores between groups remain statistically significant. Older and with socioeconomic diffculties depressive patients tend to do less physical activity, for this reason, it is probably that they need a particular support to recommend do exercise.