Increased Odds for Depression and Antidepressant Use in the Inactive Spanish Population

Carmen Galán-Arroyo, Damián Pereira-Payo, Jorge Rojo-Ramos, Miguel A. Hernández-Mocholí, Eugenio Merellano-Navarro, Jorge Pérez-Gómez, Ángel Denche-Zamorano and Jose Carmelo Adsuar
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Carmen Galán-Arroyo: Promoting a Healthy Society Research Group (PHeSO), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain
Damián Pereira-Payo: Health Economy Motricity and Education (HEME), Faculty of Sport Science, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain
Jorge Rojo-Ramos: Social Impact and Innovation in Health (InHEALTH), University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain
Miguel A. Hernández-Mocholí: Physical Activity and Quality of Life Research Group (AFYCAV), Faculty of Sport Science, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain
Eugenio Merellano-Navarro: Facultad de Educación, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca 3460000, Chile
Jorge Pérez-Gómez: Health Economy Motricity and Education (HEME), Faculty of Sport Science, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain
Ángel Denche-Zamorano: Health Economy Motricity and Education (HEME), Faculty of Sport Science, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain
Jose Carmelo Adsuar: Promoting a Healthy Society Research Group (PHeSO), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: Introduction: Depression is a disabling mental illness and therefore also a serious public health problem. It affects 5% of the adult population in the world and is the leading cause of disability, with an annual cost of USD one trillion. In Spain, its prevalence is 13.4%, costing EUR 6000 million a year. Physical inactivity has been linked to an increase in depressive symptoms, with physical activity associated with an improvement in health-related quality of life. Objective: To calculate the odds ratio (OR) and relative risk (RR) of suffering from depression and taking antidepressants in the inactive Spanish population compared to groups with a higher level of physical activity. Method: 17,141 individuals aged 18–69 years residing in Spain and interviewed in the 2017 Spanish National Health Survey were included in this cross-sectional investigation. Results: Dependence relationships were found between the level of physical activity and the prevalence of depression and taking antidepressants ( p < 0.001). We found elevated ORs and RRs for depression and antidepressant use in inactive people compared to those with a high/very high level of physical activity (Depression: OR: 4.32. CI95%: 3.35–5.57. RR: 1.59. 95% CI: 1.51–1.68; Antidepressants: OR: 4.95. CI95%: 3.59–6.82. RR: 1.61. CI95%: 1.52–1.71). Conclusions: Belonging to an inactive population group increases the risk of suffering from depression and of taking antidepressants.

Keywords: health; depression; physical activity; antidepressants; sedentary lifestyle; active population; inactive population (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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