Changes in leisure-time physical activity and subsequent common mental disorders among ageing employees

The aim of this study was to examine whether changes in leisure-time physical activity are associated with subsequent common mental disorders. Follow-up survey data were collected from 40 to 60-year-old employees of the City of Helsinki, Finland, at three time points: 2000-2002 (rr 67%), 2007 (rr 83%) and 2012 (rr 79%). We excluded those with common mental disorders at phase 1 (n = 1162) and in total 4681 respondents (81% women) were available for the analyses. Compared with those persistently active, those persistently inactive had an increased risk of subsequent common mental disorders. Promoting leisure-time physical activity may prove useful for preventing common mental disorders.