[Harumanbo Harucheonja] "Even sadness disappears" Strengthening emotional muscles through walking

A study has found that walking can help build 'mental muscles,' reducing not only physical health issues but also feelings of depression. Those who regularly walk were found to experience lower rates of depression compared to those who do not.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) released data on the rates of depression experience by local governments on the 25th. The depression experience rate refers to the proportion of adults who have experienced depressive feelings severe enough to interfere with daily life for two consecutive weeks or more within the past year. This detailed analysis was based on data from the 'Community Health Survey,' which surveyed approximately 230,000 adults aged 19 and older nationwide.

The trend in depression experience rates among Korean adults over the past decade showed a decrease from 6.4% in 2014 to 5.0% in 2018, but then steadily increased due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising again to 7.3% last year. The KDCA explained, "It is suspected that the deterioration in mental health caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has not yet recovered even after the return to normal daily life. The depression experience rate tends to be higher in metropolitan areas compared to rural areas, which can be attributed to differences in physical environments and opportunities for community interaction between urban and rural regions."

When examining depression experience rates by specific types, those who regularly practiced walking had a depression experience rate of 6.9%, which is 2.0 percentage points lower than the 8.9% rate among those who did not walk regularly. Similarly, for moderate or higher levels of physical activity, those who engaged in such activity had a depression experience rate of 6.7%, lower than the 8.2% rate among those who did not. The KDCA interpreted this as indicating a relationship between physical activity practice and mental health.

Additionally, individuals living alone had a depression experience rate of 12.1%, which is 5.0 percentage points higher than those living with two or more family members (7.1%). There was also a 3.2 percentage point difference depending on whether a spouse was present, suggesting that feelings of isolation in single-person households or those without a spouse affect mental health. Furthermore, analysis of the interrelations among variables influencing depression experience showed statistically higher rates among ▲women (1.6 times) ▲those not engaged in economic activities (1.5 times) ▲household income below 2 million KRW (1.6 times compared to those earning 5 million KRW or more) ▲those perceiving their subjective health as poor (2.8 times) ▲and those experiencing high levels of stress (5.7 times).

Ji Young-mi, Director of the KDCA, stated, “Depression, if left untreated, can lead to serious outcomes such as suicide, so individuals suspected of having symptoms should seek help from professionals or specialized institutions.” She added, “In addition to treatment, maintaining a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise, social interaction, abstaining from alcohol, and healthy eating and sleeping habits is important.”