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Reis N1, Santos I2, Antunes B2, Pereira M2, Pedro L2
1ESTeSL, Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Physical Therapy, Lisbon, Portugal, 2Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Physical Therapy, Lisbon, Portugal
Background: The prevalence of mental health disorders in Europe is a public health issue. Portugal has the highest prevalence in all countries of Europe in relation to mental disorders: in 2016, one in five Portuguese had psychiatric illness and almost half the population had one of these lifelong disorders. Depression is the most prevalent mental disorder, being more common among women than men. The prevalence of depression is influenced by several factors, such as age (above 7,5% in women between 55-74 years old, and above 5,5% in men) and level of education (a higher level of education is associated with a decrease in the prevalence of depression). Recent studies have shown that performing adequate physical activity can promote mental and physical health in patients with depression. Physical activity facilitates the abstraction of negative thoughts, increases self-esteem and allows social contact between participants, which is a very important factor for the population concerned.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to conduct a literature review in order to assess if physical activity influences the symptoms of depression in elder people.
Methods: A literature search was conducted between May and June 2018, using the electronic data bases Pubmed and PEDro. Search limits included articles that: published between 2015 and 2018, inclusive; experimental studies; written in English or Portuguese; population's age ≥65; with a physical activity program. Applying the above criteria, we obtained 153 articles. In turn, articles were excluded: published before 2015; not written in Portuguese or English; with population under 65 years of age; who did not evaluate depression before and after the intervention. All summaries of the articles were analyzed, and those that corresponded to one or more of the exclusion criteria were eliminated. After this process, it resulted in 7 articles, analyzed in their entirety.
Results: In total, we analysed 7 articles with different types of exercise programs, which included aerobic, high intensity, non-progressive training exercise; team sports; and combined exercises. In four of the seven articles analyzed, aerobic exercise is applied and there was a significant improvement in levels of depression in three of them. We found that a plan consisting of sessions of 40 to 70 minutes (10 minutes of aerobic exercise, and 5-10 minutes of return to calm) for 10 to 24 weeks is effective in decreasing of depressive symptoms in the elderly, with or without dementia.
Two of the seven articles analyzed reported the effectiveness of the implementation of physical activity programs in reducing the level of depression and depressive symptoms in the elderly without dementia and two in the elderly with dementia.
Conclusion(s): The articles analyzed have shown that physical activity, which included aerobic, high intensity, non-progressive training exercise; team sports; and combined exercises is effective in reducing depressive symptoms in the elderly, especially when applied in group sessions.
Implications: The results suggest that the implementation of physical activity programs in the elderly with or without dementia, applied by physical therapists, decreases the levels of depression and depressive symptoms in this population.
Keywords: Physical activity, depression, elderly
Funding acknowledgements: Our work was unfunded.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to conduct a literature review in order to assess if physical activity influences the symptoms of depression in elder people.
Methods: A literature search was conducted between May and June 2018, using the electronic data bases Pubmed and PEDro. Search limits included articles that: published between 2015 and 2018, inclusive; experimental studies; written in English or Portuguese; population's age ≥65; with a physical activity program. Applying the above criteria, we obtained 153 articles. In turn, articles were excluded: published before 2015; not written in Portuguese or English; with population under 65 years of age; who did not evaluate depression before and after the intervention. All summaries of the articles were analyzed, and those that corresponded to one or more of the exclusion criteria were eliminated. After this process, it resulted in 7 articles, analyzed in their entirety.
Results: In total, we analysed 7 articles with different types of exercise programs, which included aerobic, high intensity, non-progressive training exercise; team sports; and combined exercises. In four of the seven articles analyzed, aerobic exercise is applied and there was a significant improvement in levels of depression in three of them. We found that a plan consisting of sessions of 40 to 70 minutes (10 minutes of aerobic exercise, and 5-10 minutes of return to calm) for 10 to 24 weeks is effective in decreasing of depressive symptoms in the elderly, with or without dementia.
Two of the seven articles analyzed reported the effectiveness of the implementation of physical activity programs in reducing the level of depression and depressive symptoms in the elderly without dementia and two in the elderly with dementia.
Conclusion(s): The articles analyzed have shown that physical activity, which included aerobic, high intensity, non-progressive training exercise; team sports; and combined exercises is effective in reducing depressive symptoms in the elderly, especially when applied in group sessions.
Implications: The results suggest that the implementation of physical activity programs in the elderly with or without dementia, applied by physical therapists, decreases the levels of depression and depressive symptoms in this population.
Keywords: Physical activity, depression, elderly
Funding acknowledgements: Our work was unfunded.
Topic: Mental health; Older people; Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: School of Health Technology of Lisbon
Ethics committee: School of Health Technology of Lisbon
Ethics number: CE-ESTeSL-Nº.107-2018
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
