Change in device-measured physical activity assessed in childhood and adolescence in relation to depressive symptoms: a general population-based cohort study

AimEvidence for a link between physical activity and mental health in young people is hampered by methodological shortcomings. Using repeat assessments of device-measured physical activity, we examined the association of within-individual variation in free-living activity over 7 years with depressive symptoms.MethodsThis was a prospective cohort study of a nationally representative sample of children born in the UK (n=4898). Physical activity was quantified using accelerometry at ages 7 and 14. The main outcome was depressive symptoms, based on the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, assessed at age 14.ResultsAfter adjustment for socioeconomic status, body mass index and psychological problems at baseline, a higher level of light-intensity activity at age 7 in girls was associated with a lower likelihood of having depressive symptoms at follow-up (OR, 0.79; 95% CI 0.61 to 1.00), although no associations were observed for moderate to vigorous activity or sedentary behaviour. Girls who transitioned from low baseline activity to higher levels at follow-up experienced a lower risk of depressive symptoms (OR, 0.60; 95% CI 0.39 to 0.92) compared with the inactive reference category. Null associations were observed in boys. Participants who consistently met the current recommendation of 60 min/day of moderate to vigorous activity both at 7 and 14 years of age experienced the lowest risk of depressive symptoms (OR, 0.55; 95% CI 0.34 to 0.88).ConclusionTo prevent depressive symptoms in adolescence, policies to increase physical activity from mid-childhood may have utility.

Download Full-text

Heart rate variability and depressive symptoms: a cross-lagged analysis over a 10-year period in the Whitehall II study

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s003329171600060x ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 46 (10) ◽

pp. 2121-2131 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

V. K. Jandackova ◽

A. Britton ◽

M. Malik ◽

A. Steptoe

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

General Health Questionnaire ◽

Antidepressant Medication ◽

Population Based ◽

Baseline Heart Rate ◽

Lower Baseline ◽

The Uk

BackgroundPeople with depression tend to have lower heart rate variability (HRV), but the temporal sequence is poorly understood. In a sample of the general population, we prospectively examined whether HRV measures predict subsequent depressive symptoms or whether depressive symptoms predict subsequent levels of HRV.MethodData from the fifth (1997–1999) and ninth (2007–2009) phases of the UK Whitehall II longitudinal population-based cohort study were analysed with an average follow-up of 10.5 years. The sample size for the prospective analysis depended on the analysis and ranged from 2334 (644 women) to 2276 (602 women). HRV measures during 5 min of supine rest were obtained. Depressive symptoms were evaluated by four cognitive symptoms of depression from the General Health Questionnaire.ResultsAt follow-up assessment, depressive symptoms were inversely associated with HRV measures independently of antidepressant medication use in men but not in women. Prospectively, lower baseline heart rate and higher HRV measures were associated with a lower likelihood of incident depressive symptoms at follow-up in men without depressive symptoms at baseline. Similar but statistically insignificant associations were found in women. Adjustments for known confounders including sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, cardiometabolic conditions or medication did not change the predictive effect of HRV on incident depressive symptoms at follow-up. Depressive symptoms at baseline were not associated with heart rate or HRV at follow-up in either sex.ConclusionsThese findings are consistent with an aetiological role of the autonomic nervous system in depression onset.

Download Full-text

Impaired vision and physical activity in childhood and adolescence: findings from the Millennium Cohort Study

British Journal of Ophthalmology ◽

10.1136/bjophthalmol-2021-320315 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. bjophthalmol-2021-320315

Author(s):

Lisanne Andra Horvat-Gitsels ◽

Mario Cortina-Borja ◽

Ameenat Lola Solebo ◽

Jugnoo Sangeeta Rahi

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Childhood And Adolescence ◽

Millennium Cohort Study ◽

Impaired Vision ◽

Age Related ◽

High Participation ◽

The Uk ◽

Recommended Level

Background/aimsInvestigate if impaired vision is associated with reduced levels and differences in types of physical activity (PA) to identify barriers or enablers to achieving healthy PA levels.MethodsData from the Millennium Cohort Study of children born in the UK in 2000–2001 and followed-up to age 14 years (n=11 571). Using parental report on eye conditions coded by clinicians, children were categorised as having no, unilateral or bilateral impaired vision. Outcomes included objective accelerometer-derived time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and 16 PA types reported by parents, teachers and/or participants, covering physical education (PE), organised sports, self-organised sports and hobbies.ResultsOverall, 50% of 7-year-olds and subsequently 41% as 14-year-olds achieved the internationally recommended level of ≥60 MVPA min/day, irrespective of vision status, and mainly attributable to PE and organised sports. Bilateral impaired vision (vs none) was associated with parent-reported difficulties with PE (adjusted OR, 4.67; 95% CI, 2.31 to 9.41), self-rated poor ability in PE (3.21; 1.44 to 7.15) and not enjoy indoor PA (0.48; 0.26 to 0.88). Unilateral impaired vision was associated with both parent-rated difficulties (1.80; 1.26 to 2.59) and teachers’ perception of low ability in PE (2.27; 1.57 to 3.28), and reduced odds of high participation in organised sports (0.77; 0.59 to 0.99). Age-related trajectories showed suboptimal PA in childhood tracked into adolescence, with no difference by vision status.ConclusionPopulation-wide programmes to increase PA levels in children should pay special attention to those with impaired vision and include early interventions to encourage participation and confidence in PE and organised sports, starting in primary school and maintained afterwards.

Download Full-text

Prospective associations between prepartum physical activity, birth experience, and maternal depressive symptoms in the postpartum period: Insights from the population-based DREAM cohort study

Journal of Affective Disorders ◽

10.1016/j.jad.2021.10.060 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Freya Thiel ◽

Hannah Hochkeppel ◽

Victoria Kress ◽

Marie Kopp ◽

Sophie Baumann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Postpartum Period ◽

Population Based ◽

Maternal Depressive Symptoms ◽

Birth Experience

Download Full-text

Physical activity trajectories and mortality: population based cohort study

BMJ ◽

10.1136/bmj.l2323 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. l2323 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Alexander Mok ◽

Kay-Tee Khaw ◽

Robert Luben ◽

Nick Wareham ◽

Soren Brage

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Medical History ◽

Population Based ◽

Moderate Intensity ◽

Hazard Ratios

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the prospective associations of baseline and long term trajectories of physical activity on mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.DesignPopulation based cohort study.SettingAdults from the general population in the UK.Participants14 599 men and women (aged 40 to 79) from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Norfolk cohort, assessed at baseline (1993 to 1997) up to 2004 for lifestyle and other risk factors; then followed to 2016 for mortality (median of 12.5 years of follow-up, after the last exposure assessment).Main exposurePhysical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) derived from questionnaires, calibrated against combined movement and heart rate monitoring.Main outcome measuresMortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Multivariable proportional hazards regression models were adjusted for age, sex, sociodemographics, and changes in medical history, overall diet quality, body mass index, blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels.ResultsDuring 171 277 person years of follow-up, 3148 deaths occurred. Long term increases in PAEE were inversely associated with mortality, independent of baseline PAEE. For each 1 kJ/kg/day per year increase in PAEE (equivalent to a trajectory of being inactive at baseline and gradually, over five years, meeting the World Health Organization minimum physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity physical activity), hazard ratios were: 0.76 (95% confidence interval 0.71 to 0.82) for all cause mortality, 0.71 (0.62 to 0.82) for cardiovascular disease mortality, and 0.89 (0.79 to 0.99) for cancer mortality, adjusted for baseline PAEE, and established risk factors. Similar results were observed when analyses were stratified by medical history of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Joint analyses with baseline and trajectories of physical activity show that, compared with consistently inactive individuals, those with increasing physical activity trajectories over time experienced lower risks of mortality from all causes, with hazard ratios of 0.76 (0.65 to 0.88), 0.62 (0.53 to 0.72), and 0.58 (0.43 to 0.78) at low, medium, and high baseline physical activity, respectively. At the population level, meeting and maintaining at least the minimum physical activity recommendations would potentially prevent 46% of deaths associated with physical inactivity.ConclusionsMiddle aged and older adults, including those with cardiovascular disease and cancer, can gain substantial longevity benefits by becoming more physically active, irrespective of past physical activity levels and established risk factors. Considerable population health impacts can be attained with consistent engagement in physical activity during mid to late life.

Download Full-text

Timing of the decline in physical activity in childhood and adolescence: Gateshead Millennium Cohort Study

British Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1136/bjsports-2016-096933 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 52 (15) ◽

pp. 1002-1006 ◽

Cited By ~ 103

Author(s):

Mohammed Abdulaziz Farooq ◽

Kathryn N Parkinson ◽

Ashley J Adamson ◽

Mark S Pearce ◽

Jessica K Reilly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Childhood And Adolescence ◽

Activity Data ◽

Time Points ◽

North East ◽

Age Related ◽

Intensity Physical Activity ◽

Future Policy

Background and aimThere is a widely held and influential view that physical activity begins to decline at adolescence. This study aimed to identify the timing of changes in physical activity during childhood and adolescence.MethodsLongitudinal cohort study (Gateshead Millennium Study) with 8 years of follow-up, from North-East England. Cohort members comprise a socioeconomically representative sample studied at ages 7, 9, 12 and 15 years; 545 individuals provided physical activity data at two or more time points. Habitual total volume of physical activity and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) were quantified objectively using the Actigraph accelerometer over 5–7 days at the four time points. Linear mixed models identified the timing of changes in physical activity across the 8-year period, and trajectory analysis was used to identify subgroups with distinct patterns of age-related changes.ResultsFour trajectories of change in total volume of physical activity were identified representing 100% of all participants: all trajectories declined from age 7 years. There was no evidence that physical activity decline began at adolescence, or that adolescent declines in physical activity were substantially greater than the declines during childhood, or greater in girls than boys. One group (19% of boys) had relatively high MVPA which remained stable between ages 7 and15 years.ConclusionsFuture policy and research efforts to promote physical activity should begin well before adolescence, and should include both boys and girls.

Download Full-text

Association between pregravid physical activity and family history of stroke and risk of stillbirth: population-based cohort study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017034 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (8) ◽

pp. e017034

Author(s):

Grace M Egeland ◽

Grethe S Tell ◽

Øyvind Næss ◽

Jannicke Igland ◽

Kari Klungsøyr

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Family History ◽

Vigorous Activity ◽

Shortness Of Breath ◽

Light Physical Activity ◽

Increased Risk ◽

History Of

ObjectivesTo evaluate whether family history of disease and pregravid lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factors are associated with subsequent stillbirth delivery.DesignPrepregnancy cohort study.SettingCohort Norway regional health surveys (1994–2003) linked to Medical Birth Registry of Norway for deliveries through 2012.Participants13 497 singleton births (>22 weeks gestation) in 8478 women.Main outcome measureRisk of stillbirth evaluated by Poisson regression.ResultsMean (SD) length of follow-up was 5.5 (3.5) years. In analyses adjusting for baseline age and length of follow-up, ≥3 hours of baseline past-year vigorous physical activity per week (resulting in shortness of breath/sweating) was associated with increased risk of stillbirth compared with <1 hour/week of vigorous activity (incidence rate ratio, IRR 2.46; 95% CI 1.23 to 4.90). In contrast, baseline past-year light physical activity of ≥3 hours per week associated with reduced risk of stillbirth compared with <3 hours of light physical activity per week (IRR 0.53; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.93). A family history of stroke associated with increased risk of stillbirth delivery (IRR 2.53; 95% CI 1.06 to 6.01). Because overweight/obese women may experience shortness of breath and sweating with less physical exertion than normal weight women, a sensitivity analysis was conducted limited to women with a normal BMI (>18.5 and <25 kg/m2). Vigorous activity of ≥3 hours per week (IRR of 4.50; 95% CI 1.72 to 11.79) and a family history of stroke (IRR of 3.81; 95% CI 1.31 to 11.07) were more strongly related to stillbirth risk among women with a normal BMI than that observed for all women combined. Established risk factors also associated with stillbirth risk.ConclusionsThe study identified physical activity and family history of stroke as potential new risk factors for stillbirth delivery.

Download Full-text