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Physical activity and prevalence and incidence of mental disorders in adolescents and young adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 June 2007

ANDREAS STRÖHLE ,
MICHAEL HÖFLER ,
HILDEGARD PFISTER ,
ANNE-GRIT MÜLLER ,
JÜRGEN HOYER ,
HANS-ULRICH WITTCHEN  and
ROSELIND LIEB
ANDREAS STRÖHLE*
Affiliation:
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
MICHAEL HÖFLER
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology Unit, Munich, Germany Technical University of DresdenInstitute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Dresden, Germany
HILDEGARD PFISTER
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology Unit, Munich, Germany
ANNE-GRIT MÜLLER
Affiliation:
Technical University of DresdenInstitute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Dresden, Germany
JÜRGEN HOYER
Affiliation:
Technical University of DresdenInstitute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Dresden, Germany
HANS-ULRICH WITTCHEN
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology Unit, Munich, Germany Technical University of DresdenInstitute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Dresden, Germany
ROSELIND LIEB
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology Unit, Munich, Germany University of Basel, Epidemiology and Health Psychology, Basel, Switzerland
*
*Address for correspondence: Andreas Ströhle, M.D., Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany. (Email: Andreas.Stroehle@charite.de)
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Abstract

Background

Although positive effects of physical activity on mental health indicators have been reported, the relationship between physical activity and the development of specific mental disorders is unclear.

Method

A cross-sectional (12-month) and prospective-longitudinal epidemiological study over 4 years in a community cohort of 2548 individuals, aged 14–24 years at outset of the study. Physical activity and mental disorders were assessed by the DSM-IV Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) with an embedded physical activity module. Multiple logistic regression analyses controlling for age, gender and educational status were used to determine the cross-sectional and prospective associations of mental disorders and physical activity.

Results

Cross-sectionally, regular physical activity was associated with a decreased prevalence of any and co-morbid mental disorder, due to lower rates of substance use disorders, anxiety disorders and dysthymia. Prospectively, subjects with regular physical activity had a substantially lower overall incidence of any and co-morbid mental disorder, and also a lower incidence of anxiety, somatoform and dysthymic disorder. By contrast, the incidence of bipolar disorder was increased among those with regular physical activity at baseline. In terms of the population attributable fraction (PAF), the potential for preventive effects of physical activity was considerably higher for men than for women.

Conclusions

Regular physical activity is associated with a substantially reduced risk for some, but not all, mental disorders and also seems to reduce the degree of co-morbidity. Further examination of the evidently complex mechanisms and pathways underlying these associations might reveal promising new research targets and procedures for targeted prevention.

Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 37 , Issue 11 , November 2007 , pp. 1657 - 1666
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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