Lage Ana, Carrapatoso Susana, Sampaio de Queiroz Neto Elzier, Gomes Sérgio, Soares-Miranda Luísa, Bohn Lucimere
Research Center in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (CIAFEL), Faculty of Sports, University of Porto (FADEUP), Portugal Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Porto, Portugal.
Faculty of Phycology, Education and Sport, University Lusófona of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Front Psychol. 2021 Jun 7;12:644106. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.644106. eCollection 2021.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the implementation of physical-social distancing measures-including self-isolation, home confinement, and quarantine around the world, with psychological consequences such as depression. Older adults are especially likely to develop depressive symptomatology. This study aims to investigate the association between physical activity intensities and sedentary behavior with depression levels among previously active older adults during the COVID-19 lockdown.
A total of 1,123 physically active older Brazilian adults (67.68 ± 5.91 years, 91.00% female) were interviewed by telephone in regard to sociodemographic, general health status, depression (GDS-15), and physical activity (IPAQ-SV) after being home-confined for 11.59 ± 2.42 weeks. Participants were also asked to self-report changes in their physical activity levels and time spent sitting. Descriptive statistics (mean, frequencies), between-groups comparisons (-tests and chi-square), and hierarchical regression analysis were used.
About 83.80% of older adults self-reported a decrease in daily physical activity levels and 73.90% increased sitting time. Overall, depressive symptoms were observed in 30.40, and 20.80% met physical activity recommendations. Daily moderate (β = -0.174; 95% CI = -0.026; -0.012) and moderate-to-vigorous (β = -0.183; 95% CI = -0.023; 0.011) physical activity intensities were negatively associated with depression score explaining 2.6 and 2.9% of depression variability, respectively, after adjusting for age, gender, education level, body mass index, and polypharmacy. Daily walking and sitting time were not associated with the depression score ( > 0.05).
The results provide empiric suggestion supporting moderate to vigorous physical activity as a way to reduce depressive levels among older adults during COVID-19 confinement. Supervised home-based exercise programs, specifically designed for older adults, might be an important strategy to maintain and improve older adults' mental health.
新冠疫情导致全球实施了物理社交距离措施，包括自我隔离、居家限制和检疫，这带来了如抑郁等心理影响。老年人尤其容易出现抑郁症状。本研究旨在调查在新冠疫情封锁期间，身体活动强度和久坐行为与之前活跃的老年人抑郁水平之间的关联。
在居家限制11.59±2.42周后，通过电话对1123名身体活跃的巴西老年人（67.68±5.91岁，91.00%为女性）进行了访谈，内容涉及社会人口统计学、一般健康状况、抑郁（老年抑郁量表15项版）和身体活动（国际体力活动问卷简版）。参与者还被要求自我报告身体活动水平和久坐时间的变化。使用了描述性统计（均值、频率）、组间比较（t检验和卡方检验）以及分层回归分析。
约83.80%的老年人自我报告日常身体活动水平下降，73.90%的人久坐时间增加。总体而言，30.40%的人观察到有抑郁症状，20.80%的人达到身体活动建议水平。在调整年龄、性别、教育水平、体重指数和多种药物治疗因素后，日常中等强度（β=-0.174；95%置信区间=-0.026；-0.012）和中等至剧烈强度（β=-0.183；95%置信区间=-0.023；0.011）的身体活动强度与抑郁评分呈负相关，分别解释了抑郁变异性的2.6%和2.9%。日常步行和久坐时间与抑郁评分无关（P>0.05）。
研究结果提供了实证建议，支持中等至剧烈强度的身体活动作为在新冠疫情居家期间降低老年人抑郁水平的一种方式。专门为老年人设计的居家监督锻炼计划可能是维持和改善老年人心理健康的一项重要策略。
