More exercise for elderly can fend off depression — report

Physical exercise can help elderly people fend off depression, even if they experience pain in old age, according to a study.

The report, entitled ‘Does pain mediate or moderate the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms in older people?’ analysed data from three sources: The Healthy Ageing Research Project, the Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing, and the Northern Ireland Health Survey 2010/11.

It sought to investigate whether pain mediates or moderates the association between physical activity and depression/psychological distress in Irish adults aged 50 years or more.