Cross-sectional Association and Longitudinal Relationship Between Common Mental Disorders and Physical Activity Status in Young Adults: A 30-Year Birth Cohort Study

Abstract

Background: Common mental disorders – including affective disorders, anxiety disorders and substance use disorders – are highly prevalent and are associated with substantial burden of disease. In recent years, physical activity (PA) has been gaining attention as a potentially modifiable risk factor for the onset of the illness, as well as a treatment target of symptoms of common mental disorders.

Objectives: This session describes a study aimed to explore the cross-sectional association between diagnoses of common mental disorders and PA status, and the longitudinal course of common mental disorders on PA status.

Methods: Prospective data from the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy, consisting of 1611 young adults, were analysed. The course of mental disorder diagnoses between the ages of 21 and 30 years were derived from the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, and PA status at age 30 years was estimated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Cross-sectional associations between common mental disorders and PA at 30 years and association between the longitudinal course of common mental disorders between 21 and 30 years and PA at 30 years were examined using logistic regression.

Findings: After adjusting for confounding factors, there were no cross-sectional or longitudinal associations between common mental disorder diagnoses (affective disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorder, as well as any common mental disorder) and PA status at age 30 years.

Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that there is no association between common mental disorder diagnoses and PA status in young adults.