This study aimed to explore the associations between different physical activity (PA) patterns and depressive and anxiety symptoms, and to provide scientific evidence for health departments to formulate preventive strategies for depression and anxiety and refine PA guidelines.

Data from adults aged 18 years and above from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database from 2007 to 2012 were used. PA data were obtained through the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). Participants were divided into three groups based on the total time and frequency of Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA): inactive (MVPA time≤150 min/week), weekend warrior (WW; MVPA time≥150 min/week, and MVPA frequency≤2 days/week) and regularly active (RA; MVPA time≥150 min/week, and MVPA frequency≥3 days/week). Depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Anxiety Self-Report Questionnaire, respectively. Multiple weighted logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between PA patterns and depressive and anxiety symptoms.

A total of 15 851 participants were included in this study, including 10 694 (67.5%) in the inactive, 1 006 (6.3%) in the WW, and 4 151 (26.2%) in the RA. Compared with the inactive, the WW and RA had a lower risk of depressive symptoms by 67.9% (OR=0.321, 95% CI: 0.205-0.502) and 49.1% (OR=0.509, 95% CI: 0.383-0.676), respectively.In terms of anxiety symptoms, compared with the group, RA was associated with a 17.2% lower risk of anxiety symptoms (OR=0.828, 95% CI: 0.719-0.954), while WW had no statistically significant lower risk of anxiety symptoms (OR=0.800, 95% CI:0.628-1.018). There was no statistical difference in the risk of depressive and anxiety symptoms between WW and RA (P>0.05).

This study demonstrates that both WW and RA, as long as they meet the PA guidelines (MVPA time≥150 min/week), can effectively reduce the risk of depressive symptoms in adults. For reducing the risk of anxiety symptoms, in addition to meeting the PA guidelines, it is also necessary to ensure PA for at least three days per week.