The association between depressive symptoms and physical status including physical activity, aerobic and muscular fitness tests in children.

Samad Esmaeilzadeh

doi:10.1007/s12199-015-0484-0

Samad Esmaeilzadeh

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-015-0484-0

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Abstract

The aims of the study were to explore the association between depressive symptoms (DS), physical activity (PA), aerobic and muscular fitness in a sample of children. Four hundred and fifty-six schoolboys aged 7-11-year-old underwent standard anthropometry and various physical fitness tests (e.g., aerobic fitness, strength, speed, power, agility and flexibility). DS and PA were obtained by questionnaires. After adjustment for potential confounders (e.g., age, socioeconomic status and adiposity), PA was significantly and negatively related to DS (P < 0.05). Among the physical fitness tests, just time in one-mile run/walk was significantly related to DS (P < 0.05). Physical activity and aerobic fitness were significantly correlated with DS; however, no significant relationship was observed between DS and the muscular fitness tests in the children.

Highlights

Depression has been shown one of the more serious forms of illness in childhood, and depressive episodes may lead to potential life-threatening outcomes [1], and it has been reported that rate of psychological illness in children and adolescents is increasing [2]
The effect of physical activity (PA) on mental health has been the subject of research for several decades, there is a lack of studies investigating the association between different components of physical fitness, including both cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and muscular fitness and depressive symptoms (DS) [10, 11], especially among children [12]
None of the muscular fitness was significantly correlated to DS and introducing them to the model had no significant effect (P [ 0.05)

Summary

Introduction

Depression has been shown one of the more serious forms of illness in childhood, and depressive episodes may lead to potential life-threatening outcomes [1], and it has been reported that rate of psychological illness in children and adolescents is increasing [2]. Depression in childhood and adolescence is reported to be associated with an enhanced risk of suicidal behavior, or is the leading risk factor for suicide [6, 7]. Some researchers have reported that daily physical activity (PA) decreases DS in children [8, 9].

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