Leisure-time physical activity in relation to depressive symptoms in African-Americans: results from the National Survey of American Life.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the frequency of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in relation to depressive symptoms in a nationally representative sample of African American (AA) women and AA men with guidance by Stokols' Social Ecological Framework.

METHOD

A secondary analysis of AA women (n=1811) and AA men (n=1038) was performed on the National Survey of American Life, where a four stage national area probability sampling was conducted. Interviews were conducted 2001-2003. Clinically depressed AA were excluded from the current study. LTPA was measured by self-report frequency (never, rarely, sometimes, often) of participation in sports/exercise. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Logistic regression for complex samples was used to examine the relationship between LTPA and depressive symptoms, adjusting for biopsychobehavioral and sociophysical environmental factors.

RESULTS

Compared with AA women and AA men who reported never participating in LTPA, the multivariate OR for depressive symptoms in AA women and AA men who reported participating in LTPA often was 0.42 (95% CI=0.24-0.72) and 0.41 (95% CI=0.25-0.69) respectively.

CONCLUSION

Increased frequency of LTPA was associated with fewer depressive symptoms in a nationally representative sample of non-clinically depressed AAs.