THE EFFECTS OF EXERCISE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON DEPRESSION LEVELS IN GREEK ADULT POPULATION

Depression constitutes the most common mental disorder and is associated with problems of emotional, physical and cognitive nature, causing a decrease in well-being, placing a strain on mental health, which ultimately threatens the quality of life. In fact, it tends to become the second most important cause of morbidity and disability in the world after ischemic heart disease. At the same time, exercise and physical activity present as a viral determining factor in the effort to halt the prevalence of the disease. This study examined the relationship between weekly physical activity and depression levels in a sample of seventy Greek adult citizens. Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ). The two questionnaires demonstrated high reliability, and participants who demonstrated a high degree of exercise showed a minimal degree of depression. Using linear regression, it was evident that the effect of physical activity on depression was statistically significant, as the increase in physical activity corresponded with a decrease in the degree of depression. The findings of this study support the view that exercise is an effective proposition for preventing and treating depression. Article visualizations: