Overdorf Virginia, Kollia Betty, Makarec Katherine, Alleva Szeles Cassandra
William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, USA.
Livingston Public Schools, NJ, USA.
Gerontol Geriatr Med. 2016 Feb 11;2:2333721415626859. doi: 10.1177/2333721415626859. eCollection 2016 Jan-Dec.
Depression and inactivity in the elderly are major health problems with significant ramifications for healthy aging. Research shows an inverse relationship between depression and physical activity levels. The purpose of the current investigation is to examine the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms in healthy older women, first within the framework of exercise programs, and second via the impact of an intervention. Two experiments were conducted. In the first, 65 women, all above the age of 60, participated. Measures of physical activity were gained by self-report using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire while the measure of depressive symptomatology was the Beck Depression Inventory. In the second, 11 women participated in a line dancing intervention, and their self-reported depressive symptomatology was measured prior to and just after the 6-week exercise intervention using the Beck Depression Inventory. In addition, during the second experiment, pedometer data were gathered during the fourth week. The data of the first study revealed a relationship between the total amount of physical activity and scores on the Beck Depression Inventory; that is, the more active a person is, the lower her self-reported depressive symptoms. Significant correlations were found between the Beck Depression Inventory and the reports of vigorous and moderate exercise levels, but not with walking. Participants who were part of an organized exercise group exercised significantly more than those who exercised on their own. In the second study, those who participated in a line dancing intervention had significantly lower Beck Depression Inventory scores post intervention. The implications of these findings for public health are discussed.
老年人的抑郁和缺乏活动是重大健康问题，对健康老龄化有重大影响。研究表明抑郁与身体活动水平之间存在反比关系。本调查的目的是研究健康老年女性的身体活动与抑郁症状之间的关系，首先是在锻炼计划的框架内，其次是通过一项干预措施的影响来进行研究。进行了两项实验。在第一项实验中，65名年龄均在60岁以上的女性参与其中。通过使用国际身体活动问卷进行自我报告来获取身体活动的测量数据，而抑郁症状的测量工具是贝克抑郁量表。在第二项实验中，11名女性参加了排舞干预，在为期6周的锻炼干预之前和之后，使用贝克抑郁量表测量她们自我报告的抑郁症状。此外，在第二项实验的第四周收集了计步器数据。第一项研究的数据揭示了身体活动总量与贝克抑郁量表得分之间的关系；也就是说，一个人越活跃，其自我报告的抑郁症状就越低。在贝克抑郁量表与剧烈和适度运动水平的报告之间发现了显著相关性，但与步行无关。参加有组织锻炼小组的参与者比自行锻炼的参与者锻炼得明显更多。在第二项研究中，参加排舞干预的人在干预后贝克抑郁量表得分显著更低。讨论了这些发现对公共卫生的意义。
