Palazuelos-González Rosa, Oude Voshaar Richard C, Liefbroer Aart C, Smidt Nynke
Department of Epidemiology, https://ror.org/03cv38k47University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Eur Psychiatry. 2025 May 30;68(1):e73. doi: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2025.10045.
Physical activity is a known protective factor against depression but physical activity competes with other time-consuming behaviors that may increase depression risk. This study investigates the association between time spent in various movement-related activities and incident major depression, with a particular focus on the effects of replacing TV-watching time with other activities. Additionally, we explored whether the impact of substituting TV-watching differs across age groups.
A population-based cohort study (Lifelines) with four-year follow-up, including 65,454 non-depressed adults (18+). Participants self-reported time spent in active commuting, leisure, sports, household, work or school physical-related activities, TV-watching, and sleep. Major depressive disorder was assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Compositional isotemporal data analysis was performed to analyze the effect of reallocating time in TV-watching with other activities adjusting for potential confounders. Interactions with age groups were also examined.
The incidence of major depressive disorder was 2.4%. Reallocating TV-watching time to any other physical activity or sleep reduced this risk in middle-aged adults. In older adults, only substituting TV-watching time with sports reduced the probability of becoming depressed. No significant reduction in probabilities for incident depression was found in younger adults.
Replacing TV-watching time with other activities, including sleep, may serve as a preventive strategy against depressive disorder in middle-aged adults, while only the substitution with sports seems beneficial for older adults. Future research should aim to identify other activities, particularly in younger adults, that may prevent depression.
体育活动是已知的预防抑郁症的保护因素，但体育活动会与其他可能增加抑郁症风险的耗时行为相互竞争。本研究调查了在各种与运动相关的活动上花费的时间与新发重度抑郁症之间的关联，特别关注用其他活动替代看电视时间的影响。此外，我们探讨了替代看电视的影响在不同年龄组中是否存在差异。
一项基于人群的队列研究（生命线研究），随访四年，纳入65454名无抑郁症的成年人（18岁及以上）。参与者自行报告在积极通勤、休闲、体育、家务、工作或学校体育相关活动、看电视和睡眠上花费的时间。使用迷你国际神经精神病学访谈评估重度抑郁症。进行了成分等时数据分析，以分析将看电视时间重新分配到其他活动对潜在混杂因素进行调整后的影响。还检验了与年龄组的交互作用。
重度抑郁症的发病率为2.4%。将看电视时间重新分配到任何其他体育活动或睡眠中，可降低中年成年人患抑郁症的风险。在老年人中，只有用体育活动替代看电视时间才能降低患抑郁症的概率。在年轻人中，未发现新发抑郁症概率有显著降低。
用其他活动（包括睡眠）替代看电视时间，可能是中年成年人预防抑郁症的一种策略，而只有用体育活动替代看电视对老年人似乎有益。未来的研究应旨在确定其他活动，特别是在年轻人中，这些活动可能预防抑郁症。
