Antidepressant medication use and objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviors in adults: A cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample of Canadian adults

Abstract

BackgroundAntidepressant medication is one of the most prescribed medications among Canadians. This medication class has been previously associated with adverse effects. To date, far too little attention has been paid to physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviors (SB) in adults using antidepressant medication. The study aims to compare objectively measured time in PA and SB behaviors in a population-based sample of adults using antidepressant medication compared to a group of adults not using any psychotropic medication, and to investigate whether these behaviors differ according to four antidepressant classes. MethodsWe used representative data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (2007–2013). Medication use was documented during an in-house visit. PA and SB were measured by accelerometer. We included 7680 participants aged 18–79 years. A set of weighted analyses of covariance with adjustments for sex, age, body-mass index, income, education level, season, smoking and marital status was conducted to compare mean differences in PA and SB variables between adults using antidepressants and controls. ResultsThe cross-sectional weighted prevalence of antidepressant use was 9.3%. Adults using antidepressants completed significantly fewer minutes of moderate to vigorous PA and steps daily compared to adults without psychotropic medication. Daily time spent in light PA and SB were not significantly different between both groups. Sensitivity analyses controlling for self-reported mental and physical health showed no significant difference except smaller time spent in moderate to vigorous PA in adults using SSRI antidepressants than control. ConclusionDue to the potential negative side effects associated with antidepressant usage, and the present findings demonstrating lower levels of MVPA in those taking SSRIs, care providers should consider assessing levels of MVPA and if relevant promoting physical activity when prescribing this class of antidepressants.