Cross-sectional study shows exercise lowers depressive symptoms in Brazil, suggesting body weight and sex play a mediating role.
Physical exercise was associated with a lower likelihood of presenting depressive symptoms. Additionally, a moderate frequency and duration of exercise, initially associated with reduced odds of depressive symptoms, was no longer significant after adjusting for sex and BMI. Thus, body weight and sex appear to mediate the relationship between physical exercise and depressive symptoms in our sample.
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Rosely Sichieri (2025) studied this question.
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