The Association Between Midlife Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms in Late Life: Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study.

• Published in: The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
• Main Authors: Chang, Milan, Snaedal, Jon, Einarsson, Bjorn, Bjornsson, Sigurbjorn, Saczynski, Jane S, Aspelund, Thor, Garcia, Melissa, Gudnason, Vilmundur, Harris, Tamara B, Launer, Lenore J, Jonsson, Palmi V
• Other Authors: 1 Natl Univ Hosp Iceland, Iceland Gerongol Res Ctr, IS-101 Reykjavik, Iceland Organization-Enhanced Name(s) Landspitali National University Hospital 2 Reykjavik Univ, Sch Sci & Engn, Dept Sport Sci, Reykjavik, Iceland 3 Univ Iceland, Fac Med, Reykjavik, Iceland 4 Univ Massachusetts, Sch Med, Div Geriatr Med, Worcester, MA USA 5 Univ Massachusetts, Sch Med, Meyers Primary Care Inst, Worcester, MA USA 6 Iceland Heart Assoc, Kopavogur, Iceland 7 Univ Iceland, Fac Sci, Reykjavik, Iceland 8 Natl Inst Aging, Lab Epidemiol & Populat Sci, Bethesda, MD USA
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Univ Press 2016
• Subjects: Öldrun; Þunglyndi; Arfgengi; Hreyfifærni; Geðheilsa; GER12; Age Factors; Aged; Depression; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gene-Environment Interaction; Geriatric Assessment; Humans; Iceland; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Motor Activity; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Risk Factors
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2336/618425; https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glv196

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink at the bottom of the page There is little evidence on the long-term association between physical activity (PA) and depressive symptoms in old age. We examined the association of midlife PA and depressive symptoms in late life. A large community-based population residing in Reykjavik, Iceland, participated in a longitudinal study with an average of 25 years of follow up. Midlife PA was categorized as active and inactive groups (n = 4,140, Active = 1,292, Inactive = 2,848, mean age 52±7 years). The main outcome had six or higher depressive symptoms assessed by the 15-item Geriatric Depression scale. Participants who had a history of depression (n = 226), and were diagnosed with dementia (n = 393), and had incomplete cognitive data (n = 595) and incomplete analytical data (n = 422) were excluded. Level of weekly PA was ascertained by a questionnaire at midlife. Depressive symptoms were assessed on average 25 (±4) years later. After controlling for demographic and health-related risk factors, those who were active at midlife were less likely to have high level of depressive symptomatology (6 or higher Geriatric Depression scale scores, odds ratio = 0.58, 95% confidence interval: 0.41-0.83, p < .005) compared with those who were inactive in midlife. After full adjustment of three domains of late-life cognitive function the results remained significant (odds ratio = 0.61, 95% confidence interval: 0.43-0.86, p = .005). Our study shows that midlife PA is associated with lower depressive symptoms 25 years later. Participating in regular PA in midlife may improve mental health in late life. National Institutes of Health/N01-AG-12100 National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program Icelandic Heart Association Landspitali University Hospital Icelandic Parliament