Physical activity in adulthood decreases the risk of depression by 16%, according to the study | Welfare

Another finding of the study is that exercise also decreases the risk of death from cardiovascular disease after the diagnosis of depression. This is particularly important because previous studies have shown that the disease is badociated with an increase in deaths from cardiovascular disease.

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Depression and cardiovascular disease are among the leading causes of disability in developed countries, according to data from the National Institutes of Health. According to the study, the relationship between the two conditions can be explained because depression promotes the accumulation of plaques in the arteries and also increases arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat).

Madhukar Trivedi, co-author of the study and director of the Center for Research on Depression at the University of Texas Southwestern, United States, highlights the importance of the activity physical activity in adults from the results of the study.

Researcher Madhukar Trivedi explains that exercise can reduce the risk of depression because it reduces inflammation – a mechanism already badociated with depressive symptoms.

From these findings, Trivedi also suggests that often the first treatment option for depression in individuals without serious illness may be the badociation between psychotherapy and physical activity.

In follow-up of participants, the study identified 2701 diagnoses of depression, 610 deaths from cardiovascular disease without previous depression, and 231 deaths from cardiovascular disease after depression.

High levels of physical activity were badociated with a 16% lower risk of depression. A high level of conditioning was also badociated with a risk of death from cardiovascular disease without depression of 61%.

After a diagnosis of depression, high conditioning was badociated with a 56% lower risk of death.