Physical education also helps with depression
Physical Activity can Prevent Depression
ABC Magazine based on University of Toronto materials: Moderate exercise not only treats, but prevents depressionThe American Journal of Preventive Medicine published a systematic review of extended prospective studies of the relationship between physical activity and depression (Physical Activity and the Prevention of Depression: A Systematic Review of Prospective Studies).
In 25 studies out of 30 suitable for analysis, it was confirmed that the presence of initial physical activity reduces the risk of depression in the future.
Earlier studies have already shown that physical activity has a beneficial effect on the course of depression, reduces the need for antidepressants, and these facts are confirmed by clinical practice. With this in mind, the preventive effect of physical activity on the development of depression is expected. The increase in the costs of treatment and medications observed in recent years adds to the significance of the findings of the work on a simple and affordable way to reduce the risk of depression.
The very formulation of the scientific hypothesis on the preventive effect of physical exercise on the development of depression makes it difficult to create a feasible prospective study to test it – such a study should include large groups of subjects in whom both physical activity and mental state will be evaluated for at least two time periods. At the same time, it is possible to assess the presence of an association between the two factors by extended studies, and a systematic review is quite suitable for this purpose.
In this review, publications from 1976 to 2012 were analyzed. Extended prospective studies were selected, in which the level of physical activity and the level of depression were evaluated at least twice, the analysis assumed that physical activity was an independent variable, and depression was dependent, and the level of depression was evaluated by validated and reproducible methods. In 25 out of 30 studies, there was an inverse relationship between the initial level of physical activity and the presence of depression during follow-up.
According to the studied works, the amount of physical activity that has a preventive effect against depression is very small. Even 150 minutes of exercise or gardening a week reduces the risk of depression. Increasing the amount of physical activity increases the preventive effect. In part of the studies, the daily level of physical activity was measured, and 10-29 minutes of exercise per day was enough for the appearance of a protective effect. There was no effect of the age of the subjects on the results.
The authors of the review pointed out that increasing the popularity of physical exercise can be considered not only as a measure to strengthen somatic health, but also as a way to prevent mental illness in all age groups.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru15.11.2013