Health-Related Fitness, Body Mass Index, and Risk of Depression among Adolescents

Abstract

These findings indicate that a healthy level of cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with a lower level of depression as measured by the CES-DC. Because of the cross-sectional nature of this study, no cause and effect relations can be assumed.

Psychosocial Mediators of the Fitness–Depression Relationship Within Adolescents

“…More recently, the fitness-depression relationship has been examined among adolescents and, consistent with the adult findings, CRF is related to lower levels of depressive symptomatology in both cross-sectional Ortega et al, 2008;Shomaker et al, 2012;Rieck et al, 2013;Tomson, Pangrazi, Friedman, & Hutchison, 2003), as well as, longitudinal studies (Crews et al, 2004;Dunton et al, 2007;Kelly et al, 2011;Voorhees et al, 2008). For example, Greenleaf et al (2010) found that after controlling for Social Economic Status (SES) female adolescents whose fitness scores fell in the Healthy Fitness Zone [HFZ], based on a standardized CRF test, had significantly lower scores on a measure of depressed mood compared to the female adolescents whose fitness scores fell in the Needs Improvement Zone [NIZ] (r = 0.54; R 2 = .29); no significant relation existed between fitness and depression for the male adolescents.…”

“…Such declines in physical activity and fitness are associated with increased risk of major health issues, including significant weight gain (Fogelholm & Kukkonen-Harjula, 2000;LahtiKoski, Pietinen, Heliovaara, & Vartianinen, 2002;Rieck, Jackson, Martin, Petrie, & Greenleaf, 2013;Schmitz, Jacobs, Leon, Schreiner, & Sternfeld, 2000). In contrast, increases in physical activity (Biddle & Asare, 2011;Boone & Leadbetter, 2006;Dunton, Atienza, Tscherne, & Rodriguez, 2011;Kelly et al, 2011;Motl, Birnbaum, Kubik, & Dishman, 2004) and improvements in CRF (Dunton et al, 2007;Ortega et al, 2008) are associated with psychological and physical health, and more specifically reduction in depression scores among adolescents.…”

“…Improvement in CRF is related to lower depressive symptomatology among adolescents (Crews et al, 2004;Dunton et al, 2007;Greenleaf et al, 2010;Kelly et al, 2011;Ortega et al, 2008;Rieck et al, 2013;Shomaker et al, 2012;Tomson et al,2003;Voorhees et al, 2008), but what has not been sufficiently studied is why. Few studies have specifically examined the potential mechanisms that underlie the relationship between fitness and depression, and thus more research is needed to address this issue.…”

Fatores Associados À Aptidão Cardiorrespiratória De Escolares

“…Com exceção do voleibol, são esportes que demandam intensidade moderada a vigorosa e são de longa duração, fato que beneficia a saúde de adolescentes como, por exemplo, resultando em aumento da aptidão cardiorrespiratória 24 . As informações disponíveis da literatura, somados com os encontrados no presente estudo, indicam a necessidade da prática de atividade física moderada à vigorosa e da prática esportiva com objetivo de prevenir os agravos à saúde relacionados à baixa aptidão cardiorrespiratória 1,2 .…”

“…A condição socioeconômica foi estimada por meio dos Critérios de Classificação Econômica do Brasil 14 O estado nutricional foi estimado por meio do Índice de Massa Corporal, calculado por meio da equação massa corporal (kg)/estatura(m) 2 . A estatura foi medida por meio de uma fita métrica fixada na parede (Sanny, São Paulo, Brasil), com precisão de 1 mm e a massa corporal total por meio de uma balança eletrônica com precisão de 100 g e capacidade de 150 kg (Plenna, modelo MEA-03140, São Paulo, Brasil), de acordo com procedimentos já descritos 18 .…”