Walking reduced the risk of developing depression
To find out whether the number of daily steps is associated with depression in adulthood, an international research team analyzed data from 33 studies involving nearly 100,000 people. The results showed that walking has a significant impact on mental health, including reducing the risk of developing depression
Daily exercise plays an important role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Moreover, earlier Naked Science told about the discovery of scientists from the UK, who found out how exactly physical activity alleviates symptoms of depression, and researchers from Spain found out what effect sport has on mental abilities.
Now the authors of a meta-analysis, the text of which is published in the journal JAMA Network Open, confirmed the positive effect on mental health of aerobic exercise such as walking. A systematic review of 33 studies involving 96,173 adults 18 years and older (mean age ranged from 18.6 to 91.2 years) found that more than 5,000 steps per day improved overall mental health and reduced the risk of depression.
A team of scientists led by Bruno Bizzozero-Peroni of the University of Castile-La Mancha (Spain) examined data in PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases for queries related to physical activity, number of daily steps and symptoms of depression. Eligible studies were then reviewed regardless of publication date and language. Depressive symptoms were assessed using standardized techniques, and step counts were measured using devices such as accelerometers and pedometers.
The results, analyzed by two independent reviewers, showed that daily step count was inversely related to depression symptoms in all 33 studies. Specifically, low levels of physical activity (i.e., less than 5,000 steps per day) were associated with the risk of depression, while moderate (5,000-7499 steps per day) and high (10,000 steps or more) were associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms.
Moreover, the more daily steps the subjects took, the better their overall health became. For example, going from less than 5,000 to 7,000 or more steps per day was associated with a measurable reduction in the risk of depression, and each 1,000 additional steps reduced the likelihood of symptoms.
The study authors concluded that a pedometer (such as a fitness bracelet) is a simple and reliable tool for improving both physical and mental health. Researchers also noted that the “pedometer” approach could be the basis for developing depression prevention strategies, especially for people with sedentary lifestyles. Further research will help to identify causal links between the number of daily steps and a reduced risk of developing depressive disorder.