The association of leisure‐time physical activity and walking during commuting to work with depressive symptoms among Japanese workers: A cross‐sectional study

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the cross‐sectional association of leisure‐time physical activity and walking during commuting to work with depressive symptoms depends on the level of work‐related physical activity among Japanese workers. METHODS: Participants were 2024 workers aged 19‐69 years in two manufacturing companies in Japan. Leisure‐time physical activity and walking during commuting to work were ascertained via a self‐administered questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES‐D) scale. The odds ratio (OR) of depressive symptoms (CES‐D score ≥16) was estimated by using multiple logistic regression with adjustment for covariates. RESULTS: Leisure‐time physical activity was inversely associated with depressive symptoms; multivariable‐adjusted ORs (95% confidence intervals) of having depressive symptoms for leisure‐time physical activity were 1.00 (reference), 0.85 (0.64, 1.12), 0.69 (0.51, 0.94), and 0.59 (0.44, 0.80) for 0, >0 to <3.0, 3.0 to <10.0, and ≥10.0 MET‐h/wk, respectively (P for trend <.001). This inverse trend for leisure‐time physical activity was clearer among individuals who had low physical activity at workplace (less than 7.0 MET‐h/d). For walking to work, such an inverse association was not observed. CONCLUSION: Leisure‐time physical activity was associated with fewer depressive symptoms, especially in workers with low work‐related physical activity.