Get Moving: Just 8 Minutes a Day Can Keep Obese From Depression

A little bit goes a long way

Severely obese people who are physically active even a small amount of time are less likely to suffer from depression than those who are sedentary. A study found that just eight minutes of moderate physical activity each day could reduce the odds of them needing treatment for depression or anxiety by 92 percent. The three-year study examined 850 severely obese patients scheduled to undergo weight-loss surgery; they wore an electronic device on their ankle to track the amount of activity they got and completed a questionnaire to assess their mental health. Though one-third of the participants had symptoms of depression (and two in five had received medication or counseling for it), researchers additionally found that even just 4,750 steps a day (less than half the 10,000 steps recommended for a healthy adult) reduced the odds of depression or anxiety treatment by 81 percent. (Daily Record)

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