Depressive Symptoms and Behavior-Related Risk Factors, Italian Population-Based Surveillance System, 2013

Abstract

Introduction: Depression may increase the likelihood of adopting behaviors risky to health. Population studies investigating the association between depressive symptoms and behavior-related risk factors are lacking in Italy. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of various self-reported behavior-related risk factors and to study their associations with current depressive symptoms in the Italian adult general population.

Methods: Data collected in 2013 from people aged 18 to 69 years participating in the Italian behavioral risk factor surveillance system were used for the analysis. Indicators of no leisure-time physical activity, obesity, cigarette smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption were investigated. Depressive symptoms were explored through the Patient Health Questionnaire-2.

Results: In the survey sample of 39,463 participants, 34.4% of adults engaged in no leisure-time physical activity, 26.2% were cigarette smokers, 11.5% were excessive alcohol consumers, and 10.3% were obese. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 6.2%. People with depressive symptoms were more likely to be physically inactive (adjusted prevalence ratio [APR], 1.13), cigarette smokers (APR, 1.34), obese (APR, 1.27) and excessive alcohol consumers (APR, 1.43) than those without depressive symptoms.

Conclusion: The contribution of this study to the existing evidence lies not just in confirming the association between depression and behavior-related risk factors in the Italian context but also in suggesting that programs for simultaneously improving people's mental and physical health should be developed and implemented.

Figure

Occurrence of behavior-related risk factors in the Italian adult population (18–69 y), overall and in people with and without depressive symptoms from the Italian behavioral risk factor surveillance system PASSI (Progressi delle Aziende Sanitarie per la Salute in Italia), 2013 (n = 39,463). Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² or greater. Current smoking was defined as reporting having smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and being current smokers on every day or some days. No leisure-time physical activity was defined as no moderate (vacuuming, gardening, brisk walking, or bicycling) or vigorous (running, aerobics, or heavy yard work) physical activity for at least 10 minutes per week in the previous 30 days. Daily physical activity bouts of less than 10 minutes’ duration were not included in the calculation. Excessive alcohol consumption was defined for men as more than 2 alcoholic units (AUs) per day on average or 5 or more AUs during a single occasion in the previous 30 days; for women, it was defined as more than 1 AU per day on average or 4 or more AUs during a single occasion in the previous 30 days. One AU corresponds to a glass of wine (125 mL), a can of beer (330 mL), or 1 shot glass of spirits (40 mL). [Table: see text]