Authors
Elizabeth Moxley, School of Nursing, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
Shaine Henert, Department of Kinesiology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
Desale Habtezgi, Applied Mathematics and Applied Statistics, DePaul University, Chicago, IL USA
Barrie P. Bode, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
Rachel Kowal, Department of Kinesiology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
Sara Budhwani, School of Nursing, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
Kris Varothai, Applied Mathematics and Applied Statistics, DePaul University, Chicago, IL USA
International Journal of Exercise Science 19(5): 5004, 2026.
Abstract
Anxiety and depression affect 32.3% of United States’ adults. Guideline-based moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) enhances mental health by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and an array of neuroendocrine factors that also mitigate cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. We examined the response of 14 variables, including depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory), resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale [CDRISC]), serum BDNF, and associated CVD risk factors (e.g., HbA1c, body composition, waist circumference) in sedentary middle-aged adults (n=29, MAGE = 51.31 ± 6.31) to a 4-week MVPA regimen. Hotelling’s T2 test showed moderate evidence to indicate the mean vectors for the 14 study variables that differed before and after MVPA (p=0.022). Pre- post-VO2peak, measured by the Åstrand-Rhyming Cycle Ergometer Test, increased by 5.93% (p=0.143). HbA1c decreased slightly following the intervention (-1.69%, p=0.052) across all subjects and by 3.7% (from 5.54±0.48 to 5.34±0.68) in those (n=20) who achieved MVPA guidelines in 4 weeks. However, neither BDNF nor body composition consistently improved following MVPA. Poisson regression revealed that when age increased, depression (p=0.042) decreased, and resilience increased (p=0.032). Alternatively, increases in body mass index (BMI) were associated with increases in depression (<0.001) and anxiety (p=0.017) plus decreased resilience (p=0.037). Findings indicate MVPA consistent with the U.S. PA Guidelines in sedentary middle-aged adults may decrease depression, HbA1c, and CVD risk and should be a priority amongst providers. Studies involving a larger sample and longer duration are warranted to establish specific relationships between mental health and CVD risk in middle-aged adults.