Domain-Specific Paradox of Physical Activity and Depression Among Patients With Cardiovascular Disease or Related Conditions.

Low and high work physical activity were both associated with significantly higher odds of depressive symptoms compared with no work physical activity.

• Low work PA (1–600 MET-min/week) was associated with OR 2.61 (95% CI, 1.57–4.36) for depressive symptoms
• High work PA (≥600 MET-min/week) was associated with OR 3.17 (95% CI, 2.03–4.95) for depressive symptoms
• Reference category was no work physical activity
• Analyses were conducted using multivariable logistic regression with depressive symptoms defined as PHQ-9 ≥11

High leisure physical activity was associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms in adults with cardiovascular disease.

• High leisure PA was associated with OR 0.45 (95% CI, 0.28–0.72) for depressive symptoms
• This represents an approximately 55% lower odds of depressive symptoms compared to the reference group
• Leisure PA was measured using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and categorized by weekly MET-minutes

High transport physical activity showed a modest protective association with depressive symptoms.

• High transport PA was associated with OR 0.73 (95% CI, 0.54–0.98) for depressive symptoms
• The association was statistically significant but smaller in magnitude than the protective effect of leisure PA
• Transport PA was also measured via the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire

Sex modified the association between work physical activity and depressive symptoms, with stronger associations observed in women.

• P for interaction <0.001 for the sex-by-work PA interaction
• The association between work PA and depressive symptoms was stronger in women than in men
• The sample consisted of 5788 adults with cardiovascular disease or related conditions from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016–2020)

Income modified the protective association of leisure physical activity with depressive symptoms, with stronger protection observed in high-income individuals.

• P for interaction <0.001 for the income-by-leisure PA interaction
• The inverse association between leisure PA and depressive symptoms was stronger among high-income individuals
• Both sex and income were assessed as effect modifiers in the multivariable logistic regression framework

The study analyzed cross-sectional data from 5788 adults with cardiovascular disease or related conditions from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

• Data were drawn from the 2016–2020 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
• Physical activity was measured using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire
• PA was categorized by weekly metabolic equivalent task (MET) minutes across work, transport, and leisure domains
• Depressive symptoms were defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score ≥11