Association between Sports Activity and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Young People: A Longitudinal Study in Disadvantaged Urban Areas in Latin America

Abstract

Objectives The aim of this study is to explore the association between participation in sports activities over a two-year follow-up period and recovery in young people from disadvantaged urban areas of Bogotá, Lima, and Buenos Aires who present symptoms of anxiety or depression. Methods A longitudinal study was conducted, including adolescents (15-16 years old) and young adults (20-24 years old) with symptoms of anxiety and/or depression at baseline. Symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) and the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale, while participation in sports activities during the past month was recorded through a questionnaire. Descriptive and correlational analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between engaging in sports activities and changes in anxiety and/or depression scores at 12- and 24-month follow-ups Results A total of 1,434 participants answered all questions regarding symptoms and sports activities. Sports participation was significantly, but weakly associated with lower depression scores, but not anxiety scores. When participants who initially did not do any sports took up such activities, this was not associated with clinically relevant benefits in symptom reduction. Conclusions The study shows a limited potential of sports as a tool to reduce depression in both genders. However, it does not provide evidence for a clinically relevant benefit of taking up sports in young people with anxiety and/or depression.