Physical activity, resilience, and depressive symptoms in adolescence

• Girls are less physically active and have more depressive symptoms compared to boys.
• Higher physical activity were associated with lower depressive symptoms for girls.
• High resilience scores is a good predictor of the level of depressive symptoms.
• Higher physical activity the higher impact on structured style on boys' depression.

Promoting mental health by facilitation of physical activity and resilience is of great importance in adolescence. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between physical activity and resilience, in relation to depressive symptoms among adolescents. Resilience is based on five factors: personal competence, social competence, structured style (planning, structure, and daily routines), social resources, and family cohesion.Norwegian adolescents 13–18 years old (N = 1100; 51% girls and 49% boys) participated in the study. Girls scored lower in physical activity, and higher in social resources and depressive symptoms than boys, while boys scored higher in personal competence and structured style. For both genders the hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed a negative association between the resilience factors and depressive symptoms. Higher levels of physical activity were associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms for girls. There was no significant association between physical activity and depressive symptoms among boys. There was, however, an interaction effect for boys indicating that the association between structured style, and depressive symptoms depends on the frequency of physical activity.Acknowledging the association between physical activity, resilience, and the outcome of depressive symptoms may be important in developing health promotion programs for young people, especially girls.