Original paper
Specific associations between types of physical activity and components of mental health

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2008.06.009Get rights and content

Abstract

Findings of previous studies suggest that the relationship between physical activity and mental health may change across different domains of physical activity, different dimensions of mental health, and different population subgroups. The present study examined associations between five types of physical activity with different contents: housework, leisure active transportation, biking to/from work, walking to/from work, and sports participation, and two dimensions of mental health: perceived stress and psychological distress, in 1919 participants aged 20–65 years, using the data from the Flemish Policy Research Centre Sport, Physical Activity and Health. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed with the total sample, and with the sample stratified by gender, age, and occupational category. Further, separate models were used in the gender and age subgroups of each occupational category. Sports participation was the only type of physical activity inversely associated with both stress (OR = 0.375; CI: 0.200–0.704) and distress (OR = 0.480; CI: 0.253–0.910). Sports participation related to less distress in unemployed mid-aged adults, and to less stress in unemployed women, unemployed young adults, and young adults with blue-collar jobs. Housework was associated with more stress and more distress in women with blue-collar jobs. In young adults with white-collar jobs, however, an inverse association between housework and distress was found. Biking to and from work was associated with more stress in men with blue-collar jobs. Results invite consideration for the utility, and perhaps the necessity, of differentiated health recommendations for physical health and for mental health in different population subgroups.

Introduction

Little research has examined the relative importance of different domains of physical activity (PA) (e.g., content/type, frequency, duration, intensity) in achieving specific health outcomes1 (e.g., mental health (MH) benefits). Research has found that more PA, and more intense PA, could result in physical health benefits,19 however, a too strenuous PA regimen might lead to deleterious effects on MH.2, 3, 4

The relationship between PA and MH appears to be much more complex in terms of the domains of PA and possible responses than the relationship between PA and physical health.17 Scarce research examined whether different PAs have different relationships with MH. Intervention studies evaluated primarily the effects of aerobic PA on MH.5 Some found these most viable for psychological benefits.6 Others showed that aerobic and anaerobic activities influence MH similarly.7 Most of the important findings associated PA with: relief in symptoms of depression and anxiety, elevated mood, improved self-esteem,6 enhanced physical self-perception, self-efficacy, cognitive functioning,8 greater health-related quality of life,9 and efficient stress prevention and reduction.10

The Surgeon General (1999) encouraged research examining the relationship between different forms of PA and MH, as psychological outcomes may depend on the type of PA being performed.5 Nevertheless, studies seldom analysed activities with different contents. In one study, women manifested higher positive affect when their energy expenditure came from recreational activities only, than from recreational and household activities combined.11 Another study found that although all types of PA including housework, gardening, walking, and sports participation, associated with lower odds of psychological distress, the strongest effects were for sports participation.15

Research also suggested that the relationship between PA and MH might change among population subgroups. One cross-sectional study using four surveys with 55,979 participants,11 found that associations between PA and fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, and higher positive mood and general well-being, were strongest among women and 40+ years old. Another study16 found that women and men attained psychological benefits most effectively through different PAs. Women responded better to lighter PA including cognitive strategy training programs (i.e., Tai Chi); while men responded better to more intense PA lacking a structured cognitive component (i.e., 75% maximum heart rate while brisk walking).

The literature suggests that it is necessary to produce a more differentiated picture about the relationship between PA and MH,12 as different types of PA might relate to distinct dimensions of MH,10 and the association between PA and MH may change in different populations.13 Researchers should clarify which types of PA enhance psychological functioning,18 as this would facilitate the development of guidelines on how PA could aid MH, and on which forms of PA are likely to be most beneficial in different circumstances.17

The present study analysed associations between five types of PA: housework, leisure active transportation, biking to/from work, walking to/from work, and sports participation, and two dimensions of MH: perceived stress and psychological distress, stratified by gender, age and occupational category. We expected that different types of PA would associate with less stress and/or less distress in different population subgroups; and that the nature of the associations (e.g., inverse) would vary with individual characteristics.

Section snippets

Methods

Data for this study were collected by the Flemish Policy Research Centre Sport, Physical Activity and Health (SPAH), in 2002–2004, for a cross-sectional survey on the relationship between sports participation, PA, physical fitness, and several health parameters. The National Institute of Statistics has randomly selected a sample of 18,464 adults, aged 18–75 years, from 46 randomly chosen Flemish municipalities, contacted by letter and telephone, and invited to participate in the study. Of them,

Results

Table 2 presents the results of the analyses performed in the total sample, and in the sample stratified by gender, age, and occupational category. Housework was associated with more stress in the total sample (OR = 1.264; CI: 1.014–1.576); and inverse associations were found in the unemployed between sports participation and both stress (OR = 0.375; CI: 0.200–0.704) and distress (OR = 0.480; CI: 0.253–0.910).

More associations showed in the gender and age subgroups of each occupational category. As

Discussion

This study explored associations between five types of PA: housework, leisure active transportation, biking to/from work, walking to/from work, sports participation, and two dimensions of MH: perceived stress and psychological distress, in a population-based sample of 1919 adults aged 20–65 years. Multiple logistic regression was performed with the sample stratified by gender, age, and occupational category. We expected different types of PA to associate with less stress and/or less distress in

Practical implications

  • Sports participation is the PA that relates to less stress and less distress. The associations are manifest in the unemployed, especially women, and in young adults with blue-collar jobs.

  • Housework relates to more stress and more distress in women with blue-collar jobs.

  • In young adults with white-collar jobs, housework associates inversely with distress.

  • Biking to/from work relates to more stress in men with blue-collar jobs.

Conflict of interest

There is no financial conflict of interest for the authors of this paper.

Acknowledgement

The authors acknowledge the Flemish Policy Research Centre Sport, Physical Activity and Health, which is supported by The Flemish Government.

References (25)

  • T.G. Plante et al.

    Physical fitness and enhanced psychological health

    Curr Psychol

    (1990)
  • K.R. Fox

    The influence of physical activity on mental well-being

    Public Health Nutr

    (1999)
  • Cited by (94)

    • The association of recreational and non-recreational physical activity with mental health: A Canadian cross-sectional analysis.

      2020, Journal of Affective Disorders Reports
      Citation Excerpt :

      The result suggests a lack of participation in non-recreational physical activity may be associated with better mental health (see for example, the far-right column for anxiety disorders in Table 3). Some research has found activities which fall under our categorization of non-recreational physical activity, such as housework and active transportation, are associated with greater stress in some populations (Asztalos et al., 2009). They might also be associated with financial stress, (e.g. being unable to afford a car).

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text