Amassing scientific literature suggests a multitude of life-enhancing – and potentially life-extending, benefits of movement. Conversely, having a sedentary lifestyle is thought to rob both quality, and quantity, of life. Long Zhai, from Qingdao University Medical College (China), and colleagues completed a meta-analysis of 24 published studies involving a total of 193,166 subjects, to ascertain the relation of sedentary lifestyle and depression risk. The team observed that people with the most sedentary behavior were 25% more likely to be depressed overall, as compared to those who were the least sedentary. Data also revealed differences based on the type of inactivity: watching TV was linked to 13% increased risk of depression, whereas computer/Internet use associated with 22% higher depression risk. The study authors submit that: “This meta-analysis of observational studies indicates that sedentary behaviour is associated with increased risk of depression.”
