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Published on: February 20, 2020
Moderating Effect of Muscular Strength in the Association Between Cancer and Depressive Symptomatology
Diogo Veiga1, Marcelo de Maio Nascimento2,3, Miguel Peralta1,4
1Centro Interdisciplinar de Performance Humana, (CIPER) Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, 1499-002 Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal.
Background/Objectives:
Depression, as one of the leading causes of disease burden, frequently co-occurs with other diseases. Cancer seems to be strongly associated with depression more than any other disease. As an outcome of physical fitness, muscular strength seems to have a protective effect on depression. This study aimed to analyze how muscular strength moderates the relationship between cancer and depressive symptomatology among older European adults.
Methods:
Cross-sectional data from wave 8 (2019/2020), including 41,666 participants (17,986 males) of the population-based Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe, were analyzed. Grip strength, used as the moderator, was measured twice on each hand using a dynamometer. The EURO-D 12-item scale was used to measure depressive symptomatology.
Results:
Grip strength had a significant effect as a moderator in the association between cancer and depressive symptoms (male: B = -0.025, 95% CI = -0.04, -0.01; female: B = -0.02, 95% CI = -0.04, 0.00). Also, the grip strength moderation values are below 55.3 kg for males and 39.4 kg for females.
Conclusions:
Muscular strength, as measured by grip strength, moderated the relationship between cancer and depressive symptomatology. This supports the theory that recovery programs could include physical activity, namely muscle-strengthening exercises, to prevent depression.
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