Apr 2026· International Journal of Exercise Science· Vol 19· 0 citations· 11 references
Medicine
TL;DR
Findings indicate MVPA consistent with the U.S. PA Guidelines in sedentary middle-aged adults may decrease depression, HbA1c, and CVD risk and should be a priority amongst providers.
Abstract
Anxiety and depression affect 32.3% of United States’ adults. Guideline-based moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) enhances mental health by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and an array of neuroendocrine factors that also mitigate cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. We examined the response of 14 variables, including depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory), resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale [CD-RISC]), serum BDNF, and associated CVD risk factors (e.g., HbA1c, body composition, waist circumference) in sedentary middle-aged adults (n=29, MAGE = 51.31 ± 6.31) to a 4-week MVPA regimen. Hotelling’s T2 test showed moderate evidence to indicate the mean vectors for the 14 study variables that differed before and after MVPA (p=0.022). Pre- post-VO2peak, measured by the Åstrand-Rhyming Cycle Ergometer Test, increased by 5.93% (p=0.143). HbA1c decreased slightly following the intervention (−1.69%, p=0.052) across all subjects and by 3.7% (from 5.54±0.48 to 5.34±0.68) in those (n=20) who achieved MVPA guidelines in 4 weeks. However, neither BDNF nor body composition consistently improved following MVPA. Poisson regression revealed that when age increased, depression (p=0.042) decreased, and resilience increased (p=0.032). Alternatively, increases in body mass index (BMI) were associated with increases in depression (<0.001) and anxiety (p=0.017) plus decreased resilience (p=0.037). Findings indicate MVPA consistent with the U.S. PA Guidelines in sedentary middle-aged adults may decrease depression, HbA1c, and CVD risk and should be a priority amongst providers. Studies involving a larger sample and longer duration are warranted to establish specific relationships between mental health and CVD risk in middle-aged adults.
The clustering of psychological distress variables, particularly among sedentary individuals, highlights the importance of promoting active lifestyle as a strategy to mitigate mental health burden in this population of older adults.
H. Figueira, O. Figueira, A. Figueira et al.· Discover Public Health· 0 citations
OBJECTIVES
To examine the association between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and global cognitive function among older Chinese adults, and to assess the mediating role of depressive symptoms and moderating role of age in this association.
STUDY DESIGN
Cross-sectional, survey-weighted analysis of CHARLS 2020.
METHODS
We analysed data from 5318 community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 years participating in the 2020 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). MVPA was derived from the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, and global cognition was assessed using education-adjusted z-scores constructed from episodic memory, figure drawing, and mental status items. Depressive symptoms were measured with the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10). Survey-weighted linear regression models estimated associations between MVPA and cognition, progressively adjusting for sociodemographic, health, and behavioral covariates. Bias-corrected bootstrapped mediation analyses quantified the indirect association via depressive symptoms, and interaction terms with age tested moderation. All analyses incorporated survey weights, clustering, and stratification.
RESULTS
Weighted mean age was 69.8 years, and 50.1% of participants were women; 32.6% met education-adjusted criteria for cognitive impairment. Higher MVPA was positively associated with better cognitive performance in models adjusting for sociodemographic, health, and behavioral factors (standardized β = 0.38, 95% CI 0.34-0.42), with the direct association attenuating but remaining significant after further adjustment for depressive symptoms (β = 0.30, 95% CI 0.26-0.34). Depressive symptoms partially mediated the MVPA-cognition association (indirect effect = 0.08, 95% CI 0.06-0.10), accounting for 21.1% of the total association. Age strengthened the positive MVPA-cognition association (interaction β = 0.025, 95% CI 0.015-0.035), with conditional slopes ranging from β = 0.25 at ∼63 years to β = 0.45 at ∼77 years.
CONCLUSIONS
Among community-dwelling older Chinese adults, higher MVPA was associated with better global cognitive function, with a meaningful portion of this association statistically attributed to lower depressive symptom burden and stronger effects observed at older ages. Although the cross-sectional design precludes causal inference, these findings support age-attuned MVPA promotion combined with routine mood assessment and support as a pragmatic strategy to help preserve late-life cognitive health.
Low moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), high sedentary behavior (SB), and inadequate sleep are individually associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk. However, the aggregate impact of these movement patterns remains unclear. Assess whether being aligned with 24-h movement guidelines of MVPA, SB, and sleep relates to cardiometabolic health, and compare this with the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8. In a cross-sectional study, adults with obesity [n = 56 (39 F); 55.6 ± 1.1 y; 34.5 ± 0.7 kg/m2] with low 24-h movement z-scores [“aligned”; n = 28 (21 F)] were compared to those with high z-scores [“misaligned” n = 28 (18 F)]. MVPA and SB (accelerometer) and sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) were assessed to calculate z scores. LE8 scores were calculated according to AHA guidelines. A 120-min hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (40 mU/m2/min, 90 mg/dl) with indirect calorimetry was used to determine metabolic insulin sensitivity [glucose infusion rate (GIR)] and substrate oxidation. Pulse wave velocity and augmentation index (AIx75) were assessed at 0 and 120 min of the clamp to assess arterial stiffness. Fitness (VO2max) and body fat (DXA) were also assessed. Despite no differences in age, body fat, or VO2max, the misaligned group had higher fasting DBP, MAP, and AIx75 (P < 0.05), lower GIR (P = 0.07), and lower FFA suppression (P = 0.01). While both the z-score and LE8 related to blood pressure, only the z-score correlated with AIx75 and FFA suppression. Aligning with 24-h movement patterns related to better cardiometabolic health in people with obesity. NCT03355469.
Kevin Y. Gendi, E. Heiston, Daniel J. Battillo et al.· Sport Sciences for Health· 0 citations
Introduction: Population aging is reshaping occupational health, as midlife mental health and lifestyle behaviors influence later-life morbidity. This uncontrolled before-after pilot study evaluated whether a multidisciplinary healthy-aging promotion program (nutrition, physical activity, mental health) was associated with changes in physical and mental health among workers from the Spanish chemical industry. Methods: A pilot before-after longitudinal study without a control group in 18 of 29 enrolled workers (62% completion; 66.67% women; median age 47 years [IQR 45.00-50.50]) who completed a 16-week, 22-workshop program on nutrition, physical activity, and stress management. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body fat, visceral fat level, muscle mass, Mediterranean-diet adherence (PREDIMED), physical activity (IPAQ), perceived stress (PSS), and mental-component quality of life (MCS-QoL) were assessed at baseline (T0), program end (T4), and 5 months later (T9), using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (r as effect size); analyzes were exploratory, with significance set at p < 0.05, uncorrected. Results: At T4, body fat, visceral fat level, muscle mass, IPAQ, PREDIMED, PSS, and MCS-QoL improved significantly (r = 0.51-0.81; p ≤ 0.029), with non-significant favorable trends for BMI, waist circumference, or blood pressure. At T9, improvements were sustained for PREDIMED (r = 0.65; p = 0.006), PSS (r = 0.58; p = 0.013), and MCS-QoL (r = 0.55; p = 0.018), with non-significant favorable trends for the remaining variables. Conclusions: In this uncontrolled pilot study, a multidisciplinary workplace healthy-aging program was associated with short-term improvements across lifestyle, physical, and mental health outcomes, most consistently retained at five months for Mediterranean-diet adherence, perceived stress, and mental-component quality of life. Findings are preliminary and hypothesis-generating and require confirmation in controlled studies.
Asunción María Fernández-Rodríguez, Juan Carlos Rueda-Garrido, O. Arrogante et al.· Academic Journal of Health S...· 0 citations
Introduction Physical activity, strength training, and sleep are important determinants of mental health. The authors of this study examined the associations of these lifestyle behaviors with emotional health outcomes among U.S. adults. Methods Authors conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey® 7, a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults aged ≥18 years (N = 7278). Outcomes included depression (PHQ-2), anxiety (GAD-2), overall loneliness (PROMIS Social Isolation Short Form), social loneliness, and emotional loneliness. Predictors included moderate-intensity physical activity (≥150 min/week), strength training (≥2 days/week), and weekday and weekend sleep duration. Survey-weighted logistic and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related covariates. Results Most respondents screened negative for depression (79.4%) and anxiety (78.4%), and 61.6% reported low loneliness. Most respondents did not meet the recommended levels of moderate-intensity physical activity (56.6%) or strength training (55.4%). In adjusted analyses, meeting strength-training guidelines was associated with lower odds of depression (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53–0.95) and loneliness (aOR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.43–0.98). Moderate-intensity physical activity was not independently associated with emotional health outcomes. Obtaining the recommended 7–9 hours of weekend sleep was associated with lower odds of depression, anxiety, and loneliness, whereas obtaining the recommended weekday sleep duration was associated with lower social and emotional loneliness. Conclusions Strength training and adequate sleep were independently associated with better emotional health among U.S. adults. These findings support muscle-strengthening activities and healthy sleep habits as potential targets for mental health promotion.
Samuel Ofei-Dodoo, Y. Khan, Ibrahim Touffaha et al.· Kansas journal of medicine· 0 citations