Associations of self-reported physical activity and depression in 10,000 Irish adults across harmonised datasets: a DEDIPAC-study

Familial risk for depression is associated with reduced physical activity in young adults: evidence from a wrist-worn actigraphy study

Depression is characterized by reduced physical activity and sleep-wake cycle disturbances, often considered important features of the disease. While a few studies have suggested that self-reported reduced physical activity and sleep-wake cycle disturbances might both be linked to depression vulnerability, actigraphy-based measures in vulnerable samples remain largely unexplored. This study relied on actigraphy-based parameters to test whether these disturbances characterize depression vulnerability. Seven-day actigraphy data were collected from 20 (13 female) university students with a high vulnerability to depression, which was determined by the presence of a family history of the condition but no current symptoms, and 32 (21 female) controls with neither a family history of depression nor current depressive symptoms. Daily physical activity, namely gross motor activity, was quantified as average daily acceleration and time spent engaging in moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The sleep-wake cycle and circadian rhythms were assessed as total sleep duration per night (in hours), sleep within sleep period time (in hours), sleep efficiency (%), and relative amplitude (i.e., the difference between the activity during the day and the night, which reflects circadian rhythms amplitude). Results showed that individuals with a familial risk for depression exhibited reduced daily acceleration and time spent in MVPA relative to the control group, particularly on the weekend during their free time away from scheduled activities. On the other hand, the two groups were comparable in terms of sleep estimates. Taken together, reduced physical activity, but not sleep-wake disturbances, seem to be associated with vulnerability to depression and might be a viable target for identification and prevention efforts.

Multidimensional Internet Use, Social Participation, and Depression Among Middle-Aged and Elderly Chinese Individuals: Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

There is growing evidence that the internet has beneficial effects on the mental health of middle-aged and older people (≥45 years), but the evidence is inconclusive, and the underlying mechanisms are less known.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to explore the relationship between multidimensional (devices, frequency, and purpose) internet use and depression in middle-aged and elderly Chinese, as well as the mediating effect of social participation. Moreover, this study will explore the moderating effect of the regional informatization development level (RIDL) on the relationships between individual internet use, social participation, and depression.

METHODS

Data on 17,676 participants aged 45 years or older were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2018 data set. The 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10) was used to identify the presence of depression. Logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between each dimension of internet use and depression. Multiple linear regression was used to explore the mediating effect of social participation and the moderating effect of the RIDL.

RESULTS

The results showed that 28.33% (5008/17,676) of the total population had depression. In terms of regional subgroups, respondents living in the western region exhibited the highest proportion of depression (2041/5884, 34.69%). Internet use was negatively associated with depression (odds ratio 0.613, 95% CI 0.542-0.692; P<.001). Various dimensions of internet use positively contributed to individual social participation and reduced individual depression (devices: β=-.170, 95% CI -0.209 to -0.127; frequency: β=-.065, 95% CI -0.081 to -0.047; and purpose: β=-.043, 95% CI -0.053 to -0.031). In addition, the RIDL weakened the relationship between individual-level internet use and social participation (internet use: F74.12,9.82=7.55, P<.001; devices: F51.65/9.88=5.23, P=.005; frequency: F66.74/10.08=6.62, P=.001; and purpose: F66.52/9.78=6.80, P=.001), and negatively moderated the relationship between the frequency of internet use and depression (frequency: F662.67/188.79=3.51, P=.03).

CONCLUSIONS

This study found that different dimensions of internet use are associated with lower levels of depression. Social participation partially mediates the association between multidimensional internet use and depression in the eastern, central, and western regions, respectively. Additionally, the RIDL helps individuals further their internet use and social participation, reducing the impact of depression. However, this effect weakens sequentially from the western region to the central region and then to the eastern region.

Indoor air pollution from solid fuels use, inflammation, depression and cognitive function in middle-aged and older Chinese adults

BACKGROUND

Few studies have focused on the influence of indoor air pollution on depression and cognitive impairment; besides, the underlying mechanism is not well-established.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to fill the above gaps by exploring the underlying influence mechanism of solid fuel use, the major cause of indoor air pollution, with the risk of depression and cognitive impairment.

METHODS

This data came from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2015 dataset. Self-reported household cooking fuels were collected and categorized as clean fuels and solid fuels. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cells (WBC) were used to measure inflammation. Depression and cognitive function were assessed by using standardized questionnaires.

RESULTS

Respondents had an average Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) scores of 7.68 (SD = 6.14) and cognitive function scores of 15.97 (SD = 4.84). In the whole sample, 36.4 % of respondents used solid fuels use, but this proportion was much greater among those living in rural areas (78.38 %). Compared with clean fuel users, solid fuel users had more depression and worse cognitive function. After adjusting for confounders, indoor air pollution was significantly associated with depression and cognitive function respectively (β = -0.444, p < 0.001; β = 0.656, p < 0.001). Indoor air pollution was significantly related to the WBC (β = 0.170, p < 0.01), but not for the CRP. The WBC mediated the association between indoor air pollution and depression (β = 0.026, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, solid fuel use was significantly associated with a higher risk of depression and cognitive impairment. Furthermore, we found that solid fuel use influences depression partly via the inflammatory profile.

Effects of Health-Related Behaviors and Changes on Successful Aging among Indonesian Older People

Whether changes in health behaviors can improve successful aging has not been well explored. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of health-related behaviors and changes on successful aging in Indonesian older adults. Data were from the fourth and fifth waves of the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS), the participants were aged 60 years and older and who completed both waves (n = 1289). Successful aging indicators were defined as no chronic diseases, no physical function difficulties, no depressive symptoms, intact cognitive function, with social support, and with social participation. Health-related behaviors focused on smoking, physical activities, and protein intake. A logistic regression analysis was conducted. The overall successful aging rate in 2007 was 23.6%, and it had decreased to 5.6% by 2014. There were gender differences in smoking, physical activities, and behavioral changes, including promoting increased physical activity, no smoking/smoking cessation, and adequate protein intake by older adults. Quitting smoking, performing medium physical activity, and increasing protein intake were protective factors for successful aging, but the effects of behavioral changes differed by gender. Health-related behaviors and changes may impact successful aging among older adults. A healthy lifestyle is suggested to be adopted as early as possible in one's life course.

Effects of Social Participation and Its Diversity, Frequency, and Type on Depression in Middle-Aged and Older Persons: Evidence From China

Background

Depression is one of the greatest public health problems worldwide. The potential benefit of social participation (SP) on mental health has been widely acknowledged. Nevertheless, a few studies have used propensity score matching (PSM) to reduce the influence of data bias and confounding variables. This study explored the effect of social participation on depression among middle-aged and older Chinese persons through a PSM method, considering the frequency, type, and quantity of SP. Effects were compared among different age groups, genders, and places of residence.

Methods

The datasets were obtained from the 2018 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. A total of 9,404 respondents aged 45 and above were included in the study. PSM and ordinary least squares methods were used to estimate the effect of social participation on depression.

Results

PSM estimation results showed that SP had a significantly positive effect on decreasing depression scores (p < 0.001) by 0.875-0.898 compared with persons without SP. All types of SP had a significantly positive effect (p < 0.001), and participating in community activities had the largest effect (β = -1.549 to -1.788, p < 0.001). Higher frequency of participation and more types of SP promoted lower depression scores; subgroup analyses revealed that the promotion effect was significantly greater among women, those aged ≥75 years, and those living in urban areas.

Conclusion

PSM indicated that SP could alleviate the depression of middle-aged and older Chinese persons. Targeted measures should be adopted to promote SP and thereby improve mental health and promote healthy and active aging.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of exercise on depression in adolescents

BACKGROUND

Depression is widespread among adolescents and seriously endangers their quality of life and academic performance. Developing strategies for adolescent depression has important public health implications. No systematic review on the effectiveness of physical exercise for adolescents aged 12-18 years with depression or depressive symptoms has previously been conducted. This study aims to systematically evaluate the effect of physical exercise on adolescent depression in the hope of developing optimum physical exercise programs.

METHODS

Nine major databases at home and abroad were searched to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on exercise interventions among adolescents with depression or depressive symptoms. The retrieval period started from the founding date of each database to May 1, 2021. The methodological quality of the included articles was evaluated using the modified PEDro scale. A meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias tests were then conducted.

RESULTS

Fifteen articles, involving 19 comparisons, with a sample size of 1331, were included. Physical exercise significantly reduced adolescent depression (standardized mean difference [SMD] = - 0.64, 95% CI - 0.89, - 0.39, p < 0.01), with a moderate effect size, in both adolescents with depression (SMD = -0.57, 95% CI - 0.90, - 0.23, p < 0.01) and adolescents with depressive symptoms (SMD = - 0.67, 95% CI - 1.00, - 0.33, p < 0.01). In subgroups of different depression categories (depression or depressive symptoms), aerobic exercise was the main form of exercise for the treatment of adolescents with depression. For adolescents with depression, interventions lasting 6 weeks, 30 min/time, and 4 times/week had optimum results. The effects of aerobic exercise and resistance + aerobic exercise in the subgroup of adolescents with depressive symptoms were significant, while the effect of physical and mental exercise (yoga) was not significant. For adolescents with depressive symptoms, aerobic exercise lasting 8 weeks, 75-120 min/time, and 3 times/week had optimum results. Physical exercise with moderate intensity is a better choice for adolescents with depression and depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical exercise has a positive effect on the improvement of depression in adolescents. The protocol for this study was registered with INPLASY (202170013). DOI number is 10.37766/inplasy2021.7.0013. Registration Date:2021.7.06.

A cross-sectional analysis of the association between physical activity, depression, and all-cause mortality in Americans over 50 years old

Depression is estimated to be the second leading cause of disability in the United States and is associated with a 52% increased risk of death. Lifestyle components may have an important role in depression pathogenesis. The aims of this study were to analyze the association of meeting the physical activity (PA) recommendation guidelines and depression, and to analyze the all-cause mortality risk of the joint association of PA and depression. This cross-sectional study included 7201 participants from the 2007–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey aged ≥ 50 years and linked to National Death Index records through December 31, 2015. Depression was defined as a score ≥ 10 using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). PA was self-reported, and total PA was used to classify participants as more active (≥ 600 MET-min/week) or less active (< 600 MET-min/week). The odds ratios for depression were examined according to be more active or less active. The hazard ratios (HR) for the association of PA level and depression status with all-cause mortality were examined. Being more active was associated with reduced odds for depression. Compared with less active participants with depression, those who were more active and having depression had HR 0.45 (95% CI 0.22, 0.91, p = 0.026) for all-cause mortality. Being more active is associated with lower odds for depression and seems to be a protective factor against the increased all-cause mortality risk due to depression.

Lower social participation partly explains the association between perceived neighbourhood crime and depressive symptoms in European adults aged 50 years or older: A longitudinal mediation analysis

Neighbourhood crime likely increases the risk of developing depression among older adults. However, little is known about the underlying behavioural and social pathways. We examined the association between perceived neighbourhood crime and depressive symptoms and whether this relationship was mediated by health behaviours (physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption) and social participation. Furthermore, we explored differential vulnerability across age, gender, education and household wealth. Data were drawn from six waves of longitudinal data (from 2004/2005 to 2017) of approximately 15,000 adults aged 50 years and older, derived from the multi-national Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Perceived neighbourhood crime and covariates were measured at baseline, time-variant mediators and depressive symptoms across all waves. Confounder-adjusted mediator and outcome models were fitted with mixed-effects models. Total association was decomposed into direct and indirect pathways applying causal mediation analyses with Monte-Carlo simulations. Perceived crime was associated with higher risk of depressive symptoms; 4.6% of the effect was mediated via lower engagement in social activities (b = 0.005; 95% CI: 0.001-0.009). No mediation was detected through physical activity, smoking or alcohol consumption. Exploratory analyses revealed that the mediating role of social participation was more pronounced among participants with low household wealth (b = 0.012; 95% CI: 0.004-0.023; 7.3% mediated). Lower engagement in social activities partly explained the association between perceived neighbourhood crime and depressive symptoms in adults aged 50 years or older. Policies targeting disadvantaged communities to prevent crime and support social participation might be beneficial for population mental health, especially among financially vulnerable older residents.

Mental contrasting and implementation of physical activity intentions in Ugandan primary care patients with mental health problems: A real-world intervention involving support partners

This study explored the efficacy of lay health worker (LHW)-led physical activity (PA) counselling for primary care patients with mental health problems (PCMH) and their support partners. Forty-nine (41♀, median age=47, interquartile range=22) PCMH and 49 support partners [9♀, 31(9)years] participated in once weekly counselling based on the mental contrasting and implementation of intentions framework for 8 weeks. All participants completed the Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ) and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2 (WHODAS 2), while PCMH completed the Multidimensional Scale for Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) pre- and immediately post-intervention. In PCMH significant (P<0.001) increases in walking, exercising and incidental PA (SIMPAQ) levels, reductions in depressive (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7) symptoms and improvements in mobility and participation (WHODAS 2) were observed. Perceived support from significant others (MSPSS) significantly increased. In support partners, a significant reduction in time spent sedentary, increase in incidental PA (SIMPAQ) and improvement in the perception of getting alone with others (WHODAS 2) was seen. Our study demonstrates that LHW-led PA counselling is beneficial for PCMH and their support partners. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these positive findings.

Exercise interventions for the prevention of depression: a systematic review of meta-analyses

BACKGROUND

Exercise may be a promising target for depression interventions. However, evidence for a beneficial effect of exercise interventions on the prevention of depression differs substantially across different studies.

METHODS

A systematic search was performed up to July 2018 using PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane. Articles were included if a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was performed that examined the effect of exercise interventions on the onset of depression or depressive symptoms in the general population. Meta-analyses focusing on treatment of diagnosed depression were excluded. Two authors independently screened the articles and graded the quality of included meta-analyses using AMSTAR 2.

RESULTS

Eight meta-analyses were included that showed little overlap in 134 included studies. All meta-analyses reported on depressive symptoms rather than onset of depression. Five of these were rated as moderate quality and three of low quality. Six meta-analyses found significant effects, and two found non-significant effects of exercise interventions in reducing depressive symptoms in children, adolescents, adults and the elderly (effect sizes ranging from - 0.10 to - 0.81). Scarce evidence did not allow to draw conclusions about the role of sex and characteristics of exercise on depression. However, some findings suggest that low intensity exercise was as effective as high intensity exercise. Heterogeneity among primary studies was high, likely caused by differences in study quality and exercise characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence from this study suggests that exercise interventions have a beneficial effect on depressive symptoms in the general population across a wide age-range.

Variety, frequency, and type of Internet use and its association with risk of depression in middle- and older-aged Chinese: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Internet use is beneficial to mental health has been acknowledged, but its specific patterns await further investigation in China's context of urban-rural disparity. Therefore, we aimed to understand the patterns of Internet use and measure their associations with risk of depression in China from three dimensions: variety, frequency and type.

METHODS

We selected 18,492 urban and rural Chinses respondents aged 45 years and older from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2015 dataset. Risk of depression was measured by 10-item Centre for Epidemiologic Studies (CES-D 10). Internet use was measured from three dimensions: variety, frequency and type, whereas its relationship with risk of depression was examined by multivariate logistic regression model.

RESULTS

In the whole sample, 67.2% of respondents had no risk of depression, and approximately 7% used Internet, which was inversely associated with risk of depression (AOR=0.617, 95% CI=0.444, 0.858). Rural respondents had higher risk of depression (37.1% VS 26.2%) and lower prevalence of Internet use (2.6% VS 13%). Among rural respondents, using Internet occasionally (AOR=0.338; 95% CI=0.130, 0.881), using one type of device (AOR=0.293; 95% CI=0.113, 0.760), especially mobile phone (AOR=0.427; 95% CI=0.187, 0.978) were associated with lower odds of depression. No significant associations were observed in urban respondents.

LIMITATIONS

The causal relationship between variables awaits further investigation with a longitudinal design.

CONCLUSION

Internet use was negatively associated with risks of depression, especially in rural but not in urban participants. Rural-urban disparities should be considered when designing strategies to encourage moderate Internet use.

Associations of self-reported physical activity and anxiety symptoms and status among 7,874 Irish adults across harmonised datasets: a DEDIPAC-study

BACKGROUND

Anxiety is an adaptive response to an objective or perceived threat; however, when symptoms become severe and chronic it that can become a maladaptive anxiety disorder. Limited evidence suggests that physical activity may be associated with prevention against anxiety. This study uses data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) and The Mitchelstown Cohort Study to investigate cross-sectional associations between physical activity and anxiety symptoms and status among Irish adults.

METHODS

Both datasets were harmonized (n = 7874). The short form International Physical Activity Questionnaire measured physical activity. Participants were classified as meeting World Health Organization physical activity guidelines (≥150 min weekly of moderate intensity physical activity, ≥75 min weekly of vigorous intensity physical activity, or ≥ 600 MET-minutes) or not. They were also divided into three groups based on weekly MET-minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (Low: 0-599; Moderate: 600-1199; High: ≥1200), and three groups based on weekly minutes of walking (Low: 0-209; Moderate: 210-419; High: 420+). Anxiety symptoms were measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale with a score of ≥8 indicating anxiety. Binomial logistic regression, adjusted for relevant confounders examined physical activity-anxiety associations.

RESULTS

Females had higher rates of anxiety than males (28.0% vs 20.0%; p < 0.001). Following adjustment for relevant covariates, meeting physical activity guidelines was associated with 13.5% (95% CI: 2.0-23.7; p = 0.023) lower odds of anxiety. Moderate and High physical activity were associated with 13.5% (- 11.0-32.6; p = 0.254) and 13.6% (1.4-4.2; p = 0.030) lower odds of anxiety compared to Low physical activity, respectively. Moderate and High walking were associated with 2.1% (- 14.5-16.3; p = 0.789) and 5.1% (- 9.3-17.6; p = 0.467) lower odds of anxiety compared to Low walking, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Meeting physical activity guidelines is associated with lower odds of anxiety, but the strength of associations did not increase considerably with increased physical activity levels.

Sedentary behaviour is associated with depression symptoms: Compositional data analysis from a representative sample of 3233 US adults and older adults assessed with accelerometers

BACKGROUND

Evidence supporting the individual associations of sedentary behaviours with depression symptoms commonly ignores the inherent co-dependency between physical activity, sedentary behaviours and sleep in a given 24-hour period. Data analysis based on compositional methods effectively deals with this issue.

AIM

To investigate the association between sedentary behaviour and depression symptoms synergistically using compositional analysis methods.

METHODS

Participants were a representative sample of 3233 US adults and older adults from the 2005-2006 cycle of the NHANES with valid 24-hour lifestyle behaviours data (i.e., accelerometer-derived physical activity and sedentary behaviour and self-reported sleep) and available self-reported depression symptoms (PHQ-9). The association between sedentary behaviour and depression symptoms scoring was investigated using a compositional zero-inflated Poisson regression analysis. Subsequently, the model estimates were used to evaluate the effects on depression symptoms of replacing time spent in sitting activities with physical activity of different intensities and sleep.

LIMITATIONS

The current study is limited by its cross-sectional design. Also, sleep time was self-reported, which could bias our estimations.

RESULTS

Increased sedentary behaviour relative to other behaviours was statistically significantly associated with increased depression symptoms (p < 0.001). Reallocating 60 min time from sedentary behaviours to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sleep was associated with small reductions in depression symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

A synergistic compositional analysis of accelerometer data uncovered a detrimental association between sedentary behaviour and depression symptoms. These results add to evidence from previous studies. The observed association seems to be principally driven by corresponding reductions in MVPA and sleep duration.

Melancholy or mahjong? Diversity, frequency, type, and rural-urban divide of social participation and depression in middle- and old-aged Chinese: A fixed-effects analysis

The potential benefit of social participation (SP) to one's mental health has been widely acknowledged. Nevertheless, the specific type and amount of SP that is associated with improved depressive symptoms in middle- and old-aged Chinese awaits further investigation. This study aimed to understand the patterns of depression and SP by comparing urban vs rural China, and according to which, measure the associations between changes in SP and that in depressive symptoms. A total of 10,988 community residents aged 45 years and above were selected from wave 1 (2011), wave 2 (2013), and wave 4 (2015) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a nationally representative survey. The fixed-effects analysis was used to explore the association between the changes in diversity, frequency, and type of SP and the changes in depressive symptoms. The results indicated that rural respondents suffered from a significantly higher risk of depression and took less SP than their urban counterparts. Transitioning from no SP to 1 or more types of SP or to a once a week or higher frequency was associated with a decline in depressive symptoms. For urban respondents, playing mah-jong or cards and joining sports or social clubs predicted a decline in depressive symptoms. For rural residents, interacting with friends regularly was associated with fewer depressive symptoms. In conclusion, more diverse and higher frequency of SP was associated with better mental health, while the social significance of SP varied across different types of SP and between rural and urban areas.

Intensity, frequency, duration, and volume of physical activity and its association with risk of depression in middle- and older-aged Chinese: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, 2015

Background

The general benefit of physical activity (PA) to one’s mental health has been widely acknowledged. Nevertheless, the specific type and amount of PA that associates with lower risk of depression in China awaits further investigation. The present study was conducted on middle- and older-aged Chinese population with two objectives: 1) to understand the patterns of PA; 2) to measure the associations between depression and PA at different levels from various aspects.

Methods

Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2015), we selected 9118 community residents aged 45 years and older. Depressive symptoms were measured by 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies (CES-D 10). Multivariate logistic regression model was performed to examine the association between risk of depression and PA from four aspects including intensity, frequency, duration, and volume.

Results

Spending 1–2 days/week (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.91), less than 30 minutes each time (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.42, 1.03) or 150–299 min/week (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.87) on Moderate Physical Activity (MPA) was associated with lower odds of depression in women. Spending 3–5 days/week (OR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.29, 3.05) or 6–7 days/week (OR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.07, 2.11), 4 hours and longer each time (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.18, 2.32), 300 min/week or longer (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.22, 2.24) on Vigorous Physical Activity (VPA) in total, or 2250 Metabolic Equivalent of Task (OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.26, 2.38) on Moderate-to-Vigorous PA was associated with higher risk of depression in men.

Conclusions

The association between depression and PA depended largely on intensity and gender. Lower frequency, shorter duration, and moderate amount of MPA was associated with lower risk of depression in women. Risk of depression was higher in men who spent higher frequency, longer duration, and overlong time on VPA.

Relationships between Physical Activity, Sleeping Time, and Psychological Distress in Community-Dwelling Elderly Japanese

Background and objectives: It is well-known that lifestyle is closely associated with psychological distress in many elderly subjects. However, the effect of intervention with physical activity and/or sleeping on psychological distress has not been fully discussed. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationships between physical activity, sleeping time, and psychological distress in community-dwelling elderly Japanese subjects. Materials and Methods: A total of 108 elderly Japanese (31 men and 77 women) subjects were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Psychological distress was evaluated using the K6 questionnaire. Physical activity, including sedentary behavior, was measured using a tri-accelerometer. Sleeping time was evaluated using a self-reported questionnaire. Results: The median of the K6 scores was 1.0 (0–18), and the sedentary behavior (%) and walking time (minutes/day) were 57.2 ± 10.7 and 80.7 (17.9–222.4), respectively. Sleeping time was negatively correlated with psychological distress. In addition, multiple linear regression showed that walking time and sleeping time were important factors for psychological distress, even after adjusting for confounding factors. Conclusions: These results suggest that increased walking time and sleeping time may be beneficial for reducing psychological distress in community-dwelling elderly Japanese subjects.