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June 25, 2026International Journal of Mental Health PromotionOpen Access

Higher low-intensity physical activity links to ~62% lower incidence of depressive symptoms.

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Why the study?

Although physical activity may prevent depressive symptoms, the association between physical activity intensity and depressive symptoms remains unclear.

Does physical activity intensity affect the incidence of depressive symptoms in college students?

Population

1415 college students from Shenyang Normal University

Comparison

Different levels of physical activity intensity (low, moderate, vigorous)

Design

Prospective cohort study

Follow-up

3-year

Key result

Higher levels of low-intensity physical activity were associated with a 61.7% lower incidence of depressive symptoms (OR 0.38) compared to lower levels among college students over 3 years.

Authors

YHYan HuangYXYongjin XuCWChunchun Wu

Discussion

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Overview

Higher low-intensity activity was associated with fewer depressive symptoms; hypothesis-generating and requires randomized confirmation before practice change.

Key Points

  • This study aims to examine the relationship between physical activity intensity and depressive symptoms in college students.
  • Cohort study design with a 3-year follow-up survey conducted from 2017-2020 among 1415 college students.
  • Evaluated physical activity intensity using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and depressive symptoms via Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS).
  • Utilized logistic regression to analyze the association between physical activity intensity and depressive symptoms.
  • Higher low-intensity physical activity associated with a 61.7% lower incidence of depressive symptoms (OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.28–0.52, p < 0.001).
  • Moderate-intensity physical activity reduced the incidence of depressive symptoms by about 20% (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.59–1.08, p = 0.14).
  • Increased vigorous-intensity physical activity linked to a 50.4% higher risk of depressive symptoms (OR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.12–2.02, p = 0.007).

Study Design

Type

Cohort (n=1,415)

Multicenter

No

Structured PICO

Does physical activity intensity affect the incidence of depressive symptoms in college students?

P
Population
1,415 college students (78.3% female, mean age 18.1 years) from a single university in China, followed for 3 years to assess the association between physical activity intensity and depressive symptoms.
E
Exposure
Higher levels of physical activity of varying intensities (low, moderate, vigorous) measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF)
C
Comparator
Lower levels of physical activity of the corresponding intensity
O
Outcome
Incidence of depressive symptoms (standardized score ≥53 on the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale) over 3 yearspatient reported

Main Result

Odds Ratio: 0.38 (95% CI 0.28–0.52)

p-value: p=<0.001

Higher levels of low- to moderate-intensity physical activity are associated with a lower incidence of depressive symptoms in college students, whereas vigorous-intensity activity may increase the risk.

Limitations

  • Use of a self-report scale to measure physical activity may have caused memory bias.
  • Single-center sample with a high proportion of female participants limits generalizability.
  • Potential unmeasured confounders despite adjusting for several variables.
  • Observational study design precludes identifying causality and underlying mechanisms.
  • Self-report scale was used to measure physical activity, which might have caused memory bias among participants

Cite This Study

Huang et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in Depressive symptoms (n=1,415). Higher levels of low-intensity physical activity vs. Lower levels of low-intensity physical activity was evaluated on Incidence of depressive symptoms (Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale score ≥53) (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.28-0.52, p=<0.001). Higher levels of low-intensity physical activity were associated with a 61.7% lower incidence of depressive symptoms (OR 0.38) compared to lower levels among college students over 3 years.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a3d91bf408ebb922448b112https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2026.079935
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