Higher Depression and Anxiety Risk Linked To Low Fitness

(Photo: Steve Buissinne)

Moving around is part of our everyday life. Active people tend to go the extra mile - they run and trek mountains to stay fit. Some even do yoga to achieve inner peace and peace of mind. A study by University College London (UCL) links people with low aerobic activity, or low fitness to develop or experience depression.

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is a common illness, with 264 million people affected worldwide. They added that depression is different from the typical mood swings or fluctuations and short-lived emotional responses to everyday life challenges. They emphasized that when depression lasted for a long time, it can lead to a serious health condition. Mayo Clinic added that when an individual has depression or anxiety, exercise is the last thing they want to do, although they can make a big difference once they get motivated.

In a release, University College London's lead author and Ph.D. student, Aaron Kandola, their study provided evidence of the relationship between physical and mental health, and that structured exercise aimed at improving different types of fitness is not only beneficial for physical health, but it may also have benefits for the mental health.

Method of the Study

According to Eureka Alert, the study involved about 152 978 participants, ranging from 40 years of age to 69 years of the UK Biobank Study. The participants' baseline aerobic fitness was tested at the beginning of the study through a stationary bike with increasing resistance, while their muscular fitness was measured through a grip strength test. Participants were tested again after seven years for depression and anxiety symptoms, where the researchers found out that high aerobic and muscular fitness was connected to better mental health.

The study added that people with low muscular and aerobic fitness have 98% higher risk of depression and a 60% higher risk of anxiety, and 81 percent higher risk of having either one of the two mental health disorders than those who have higher aerobic and muscular fitness. UCL Psychiatry at Camden and Islington National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust and senior author of the study Joseph Hayes, MS, Ph.D., said that their study's findings suggest encouraging people to exercise can have widespread public health benefits improving not only the physical health but also the mental health. He added that improving fitness through a combination of cardio and strength or resistance training appears to be more vital than just focusing on one of the two. In a statement, Kandela added that physical activity is an important part of people's lives, and it is worrying that global lockdowns affected the time spent outside of the house and are not as active as they used to be.

Benefits of Exercise

According to the Mayo Clinic, regular exercise can help depression and anxiety by releasing endorphins and other natural brain chemicals that can enhance the sense of well-being. They further said that exercise has psychological and emotional benefits, such as gaining confidence when you finish challenges in a plan to achieve a goal.

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