High Sedentary Behavior Is Associated with Depression among Rural South Africans

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the association between sedentary behavior and depression among rural South Africans. Data were analyzed from the cross-sectional baseline survey of the “Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH community in South Africa (HAALSI)”. Participants responded to various measures, including sociodemographic information, health status, anthropometric measures, and sedentary behavior. The sample included 4782 persons (40 years and above). Overall, participants engaged in <4 h (55.9%), 4–<8 h (34.1%), 8–<11 h (6.4%), or 11 or more h a day (3.5%) of sedentary behavior, and 17.0% screened positive for depression. In multivariable logistic regression, which was adjusted for sociodemographic variables (Model 1) (Odds Ratio, or OR: 2.45, Confidence Interval, or CI: 1.74, 3.46) and adjusted for sociodemographic and health variables, including physical activity (Model 2) (OR: 3.00, CI: 2.00, 4.51), high sedentary time (≥11 h) was independently associated with depression. In combined analysis, compared to persons with low or moderate sedentary behavior (<8 h) and moderate or high physical activity, persons with high sedentary behavior (≥8 h) and low physical activity were more likely to have depression in Model 1 (OR: 1.60, CI: 1.65, 3.13) and Model 2 (OR: 1.60, CI: 1.05, 2.44). Findings support that sedentary behavior and combined sedentary behavior and low physical activity may be a modifiable target factor for strategies to reduce depression symptoms in this rural population in South Africa.

Cross-sectional associations between mental health indicators and social vulnerability, with physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep in urban African young women

“…The relationships between mental health, and sitting time, screen and TV time also appear less clearly defined. While other studies (again, examining converse causality) have shown that higher sedentary behaviour levels are associated greater mental health risk [ 8 , 11 , 23 , 24 ], we only found that at-risk alcohol use was associated with more screen-related sedentary behaviours. Future research is necessary to explore this finding and establish whether these risks are clustered, as well as to determine the direction of these relationships.…”

“…Amongst adults in LMICs, there is a growing body of research on the relationship between mental health and physical activity [ 6 – 10 ], sedentary behaviour [ 8 , 11 , 12 ], and sleep [ 10 , 13 ]. These studies have reported on cross-sectional associations, and therefore do not clarify causality to answer questions about whether poor mental health leads to poor health behaviours, or whether healthy behaviours lead to good mental health.…”

Depression Predictors among Older Persons in a Rural Community in South Africa

“…A score of 3 or more (≥3) on CES-D 8 scale which indicates presence of three or more symptoms was used for the diagnosis of depression. Other studies have used the same cut-off as continuous and dichotomized data among these participants and elsewhere [16,17] . The score of (≥3) on the CSE-D 8 compares to the score of (≥16) on the original 20-item CES-D scale which has been ascertained to represent significant depressive symptoms [18,19] .…”

Gender Differences in the Association Between Sarcopenia and Depressive Symptoms Among Community-Dwelling Older People in a Chinese Suburban Area

“…(such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which is one of the biomarkers of depression), 45 thus trigger to the development of mental disorders (such as depression). [46][47][48] We, therefore, propose to reduce the development of depressive symptoms in older people by educating them about the negative effects of poor lifestyles in their daily lives and providing early interventions to prevent sarcopenia. In contrast, our study did not find a significant relationship between muscle mass and depressive symptoms in women.…”