Moderating Effect of Muscular Strength in the Association Between Cancer and Depressive Symptomatology.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Depression, as one of the leading causes of disease burden, frequently co-occurs with other diseases. Cancer seems to be strongly associated with depression more than any other disease. As an outcome of physical fitness, muscular strength seems to have a protective effect on depression. This study aimed to analyze how muscular strength moderates the relationship between cancer and depressive symptomatology among older European adults.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data from wave 8 (2019/2020), including 41,666 participants (17,986 males) of the population-based Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe, were analyzed. Grip strength, used as the moderator, was measured twice on each hand using a dynamometer. The EURO-D 12-item scale was used to measure depressive symptomatology.

RESULTS

Grip strength had a significant effect as a moderator in the association between cancer and depressive symptoms (male: B = -0.025, 95% CI = -0.04, -0.01; female: B = -0.02, 95% CI = -0.04, 0.00). Also, the grip strength moderation values are below 55.3 kg for males and 39.4 kg for females.

CONCLUSIONS

Muscular strength, as measured by grip strength, moderated the relationship between cancer and depressive symptomatology. This supports the theory that recovery programs could include physical activity, namely muscle-strengthening exercises, to prevent depression.