Association between health behaviours and depression: findings from a national cross-sectional study in South Korea
Open Access
- 14 May 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in BMC Psychiatry
- Vol. 20 (1), 1-9
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02628-7
Abstract
Depression is a leading cause of disability, and it has been reported that more than 264 million people worldwide have depression. The causes of depression may be numerous, and physical health has also been linked to depression. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of health behaviours on depression. This study used the data of 224,868 participants from the Community Health Survey, conducted in 2017. We defined health behaviours by combining three variables: no smoking, not belonging to high-risk drinking group, and walking frequently. Depression was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between health behaviours and depression. Both men and women who did not practise health behaviours were more likely to experience depressive symptoms than those who did (men, odds ratio (OR): 1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.31–1.68; women, OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.32–1.53). Not walking frequently had the strongest association with depression in men and the risk of depression was the highest in women who smoked. Participants who did not practise any health behaviours were the most likely to have depressive symptoms (men, OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.38–2.07; women, OR: 3.08, 95% CI: 2.27–4.19). Our study found that lack of health behaviours is significantly associated with depression. Furthermore, the most influential factor of health behaviours in depression was different for men and women. It is necessary to manage depression through interventional methods customised to gender characteristics. Additionally, national-level policies are needed to encourage steps to improve personal lifestyles, including practising health behaviours.Funding Information
- Yonsei University College of Medicine (6-2018-0174, 6-2017-0157)
This publication has 38 references indexed in Scilit:
- Increased risk of hyperlipidemia in patients with major depressive disorder: A population-based studyJournal of Psychosomatic Research, 2013
- The impact of stress systems and lifestyle on dyslipidemia and obesity in anxiety and depressionPsychoneuroendocrinology, 2013
- Physical activity and common mental disordersThe British Journal of Psychiatry, 2010
- Gender differences in depression in 23 European countries. Cross-national variation in the gender gap in depressionSocial Science & Medicine (1982), 2010
- Validation of PHQ-2 and PHQ-9 to Screen for Major Depression in the Primary Care PopulationAnnals of Family Medicine, 2010
- The association of physical activity and depression in Type 2 diabetesDiabetic Medicine, 2008
- Physical activity, exercise, depression and anxiety disordersJournal of Neural Transmission, 2008
- Gender Differences in Associations of Diurnal Blood Pressure Variation, Awake Physical Activity, and Sleep Quality With Negative AffectHypertension, 2001
- The PHQ-9Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2001
- Gender differences in depressionThe British Journal of Psychiatry, 2000