Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38110912›Full record

ArticleBMC medicine2023

Effects of physical activity and sedentary time on depression, anxiety and well-being: a bidirectional Mendelian randomisation study.

Francesco Casanova, Jessica O'Loughlin, Vasilis Karageorgiou, Robin N Beaumont, Jack Bowden, Andrew R Wood, Jessica Tyrrell

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medicine, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 44 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
44citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

44 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  4. Physical activity and two-year change in adolescent well-being in nine countries.Journal of research on adolescence : the official journal of the Society for Research on Adolescence · 2025
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  10. Anxiety and peripheral artery disease.Clinical science (London, England : 1979) · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Francesco CasanovaGenetics of Complex Traits, Department of Biomedical & Clinical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Jessica O'LoughlinGenetics of Complex Traits, Department of Biomedical & Clinical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Vasilis KarageorgiouGenetics of Complex Traits, Department of Biomedical & Clinical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Robin N BeaumontGenetics of Complex Traits, Department of Biomedical & Clinical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Jack BowdenGenetics of Complex Traits, Department of Biomedical & Clinical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Andrew R WoodGenetics of Complex Traits, Department of Biomedical & Clinical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
Jessica TyrrellGenetics of Complex Traits, Department of Biomedical & Clinical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK. j.tyrrell@exeter.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-9256-6065

Funding

Academy of Medical Sciences SBF004\1079
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMental health conditions represent one of the major groups of non-transmissible diseases. Physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) have been shown to affect mental health outcomes in opposite directions. In this study, we use accelerometery-derived measures of PA and ST from the UK Biobank (UKB) and depression, anxiety and well-being data from the UKB mental health questionnaire as well as published summary statistics to explore the causal associations between these phenotypes.

methodsWe used MRlap to test if objectively measured PA and ST associate with mental health outcomes using UKB data and summary statistics from published genome-wide association studies. We also tested for bidirectional associations. We performed sex stratified as well as sensitivity analyses.

resultsGenetically instrumented higher PA was associated with lower odds of depression (OR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.88, 0.97) and depression severity (beta =  - 0.11; 95% CI: - 0.18, - 0.04), Genetically instrumented higher ST was associated higher odds of anxiety (OR = 2.59; 95% CI: 1.10, 4.60). PA was associated with higher well-being (beta = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.04; 0.18) and ST with lower well-being (beta =  - 0.18; 95% CI: - 0.32, - 0.03). Similar findings were observed when stratifying by sex. There was evidence for a bidirectional relationship, with higher genetic liability to depression associated with lower PA (beta =  - 0.25, 95% CI: - 0.42; - 0.08) and higher well-being associated with higher PA (beta = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.25).

conclusionsWe have demonstrated the bidirectional effects of both PA and ST on a range of mental health outcomes using objectively measured predictors and MR methods for causal inference. Our findings support a causal role for PA and ST in the development of mental health problems and in affecting well-being.

Indexed as

DepressionSedentary BehaviorAnxietyExerciseGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansMendelian Randomization AnalysisMendelian randomisationMental healthPhysical activityWell-being

Identifiers

PMID38110912
PMCPMC10729457

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.