Hostname: page-component-7b7567c8c-7pwfn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-14T22:03:52.459Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Risk factors for physical inactivity across the adult life span: the impact of depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2014

J Walker,
H Christensen,
T Windsor and
A George
J Walker
Affiliation:
Centre for Mental Health Research, ANU, Canberra, Australia
H Christensen
Affiliation:
Centre for Mental Health Research, ANU, Canberra, Australia
T Windsor
Affiliation:
Centre for Mental Health Research, ANU, Canberra, Australia
A George
Affiliation:
Centre for Mental Health Research, ANU, Canberra, Australia
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

An abstract is not available for this content. As you have access to this content, full HTML content is provided on this page. A PDF of this content is also available in through the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Information

Type
Abstracts from ‘Brainwaves’— The Australasian Society for Psychiatric Research Annual Meeting 2006, 6–8 December, Sydney, Australia
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 18 , Issue 6 , December 2006, pp. 274
Copyright
Copyright © 2006 Blackwell Munksgaard

Aim:

To determine the relative importance of sociodemographic characteristics, physical health and psychosocial functioning as correlates with physical inactivity across adulthood.

Methods:

Data were collected from a population-based study of 7485 participants in three cohorts aged 20–24, 40–44 and 60–64 years. The prevalence of physical inactivity was determined for each age group. Data were gathered on potential risk factors for physical inactivity from sociodemographic, health and psychosocial functioning domains, with the aim of determining whether psychosocial functioning, especially depression, was an important correlate of physical inactivity after accounting for sociodemographic and health variables.

Results:

The rates of physical inactivity increased with age, with 42.5% of younger and 53.8% of older adults classified as physically inactive. The importance of various correlates of physical inactivity differed across adulthood, with chronic physical conditions such as diabetes [odds ratio (OR) = 1.52, P < 0.05) and health behaviours such as current smoking (OR = 1.75, P < 0.001) being the strongest correlates for older adults. For younger and middle-aged adults, sociodemographic variables such as being unemployed (P < 0.05) and fewer years of education (P < 0.001) were correlates of physical inactivity. In terms of psychosocial functioning, depression (P < 0.01) remained a significant correlate of inactivity across all age groups, even after accounting for sociodemographic and health variables.

Conclusion:

Depression is an important correlate of physical inactivity across the adult life span even after considering sociodemographic factors, health and lifestyle behaviours, and physical health.