Association between changes in physical activity status and depressive symptoms in US general adults: A nationwide cross-sectional study.

With limited knowledge on the relationship between short-term and long-term changes in physical activity (PA) status and depressive symptoms, we aim to investigate this association among the general US adults. Data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) conducted in 2005-2006. Changes in PA status were classified into three groups as 'more active', 'less active' and 'no change'. Depressive symptoms were assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Ultimately, 3,052 participants were included in the analysis. We found that individuals who reported a decrease in PA levels compared to the past 12 months [adjusted odds ratios (AOR) = 1.954, 95% CI: 1.379 to 2.754] and 10 years ago (AOR = 3.881, 95% CI: 2.351 to 6.855) had a higher likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms. Furthermore, this significant association was observed among men, non-Hispanic White, widowed/divorced/separated individuals, participants with a poverty-to-income ratio <1.0 and those currently consumed alcohol. Overall, our study reveals a decline in PA levels among adults is linked to higher odds of exhibiting depressive symptoms. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing PA guidelines and strategies that explicitly target the negative impact of reduced PA on mental health.