Key Indicators That Could Predict and Reduce Depression Risk – Study

New research by insurer AIA Australia has found that 30 percent of depression risk is influenced by controllable factors and that there is the potential to reduce the number of Australians suffering depression incidences by 300,000 a year.

In what it describes as a world-first, AIA Australia has partnered with Quantium Health to “…release the world’s largest and richest research into the link between depression, demographics, health, lifestyle and circumstance”.

AIA says in a statement that this demonstrates which factors are both within, and outside, an individuals’ control when it comes to depression risk and highlights potential large-scale implications for the health of Australia and the economy.

After looking at more than 1,400 possible contributing factors, AIA  says the research shines a light on the health and behavioural characteristics that are critical to identifying the risk of depression, with key insights showing that a relationship exists between lower depression rates and healthier lifestyle choices (such as diet, exercise and sleep) as well as happier circumstances (such as lower stress and illness levels).

The indicators that were found to be highly significant in predicting an individual’s risk of depression include:

• Gender – depression rates in women are almost double that of men
• Age – while older individuals are more likely to be depressed, this is typically explained by non-age features such as stress and comorbidities
• Illness – people who have previously been diagnosed with depression are re-diagnosed at rates 20 times higher than those who have never been diagnosed – the rate of depression increases 1.5 times among those who have a very ill family member
• Exercise – people who do more exercise, or who do it at a higher intensity have lower risks of depression – those who take 10,000+ steps a day have half the depression rate of those who take 2,000 or less
• Sleep patterns – people who sleep less than four hours a night have a 32 percent higher depression rate than those who sleep seven to eight hours
• Diet – people who consume three or more sugary drinks per day increase their risk of depression by 11 percent
• Smoking and alcohol – current and ex-smokers have a 23 percent higher risk of depression than non-smokers and excessive drinking increases depression risk by 14 percent

…if Australians make healthier lifestyle choices by practicing at least average health habits the national depression incidence rate could reduce from six percent to 4.7 percent…

AIA says the impact of the study for Australians and Australian employers is significant with the research suggesting that if Australians make healthier lifestyle choices by practicing at least average health habits the national depression incidence rate could reduce from six percent to 4.7 percent – resulting in 300,000 fewer depression incidences per year, 4.7 million recovered working days and saving the Australian economy around $3 billion per year.

CEO and Managing Director of AIA Australia and New Zealand, Damien Mu, says that with depression, anxiety and substance use disorders being the most common mental health conditions in Australia, and at a time when mental health is at the forefront of the collective national agenda, this research is integral in both understanding and fostering better outcomes for those impacted by mental well-being issues.

He says the study demonstrates that there are factors within an individual’s control that can reduce and prevent their risk of depression – through making small lifestyle changes like getting more sleep and increasing how much exercise they get each week they can make a big difference to their overall mental well-being.

He says AIA is committed to better understanding the factors that impact mental health and providing better outcomes for its customers and the broader community and hopes the research can be used by people at risk of depression and by the wider industry to improve mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention.

…start by taking a pause and asking what is the one small change to make to improve  mental resilience…

Health and performance expert and AIA Vitality ambassador Dr Jaime Lee’s advice to Australians who are looking to feel a sense of control, in what has been an extremely challenging year, is to start by taking a pause and asking themselves what is the one small change they can make to their lifestyle to improve their mental resilience.

“The biggest finding from the AIA Australia and Quantium research is that 30 percent of depression risk is influenced by controllable factors – physical exercise, a good night’s sleep, having a well-balanced diet and not smoking – which is really encouraging.”