Exercise: Low Fitness Associated with Depression in All Body Sizes.

After analyzing 20 years of data from the Adults in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study to determine the effect of body size on depression risk, researchers found that low fitness levels are more strongly associated with the onset of depressive symptoms than body mass index, waist circumference, or body fat percentage. The authors of the study add that to reduce an individual’s risk of developing depression, they should be encouraged to improve their physical fitness levels, regardless of their body size. American Journal of Epidemiology, February 2015