Association of Physical Activity with Alcohol Abuse and Dependence in a Nationally-Representative U.S. Sample. (10th November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Damian, April Joy; Mendelson, Tamar
• Is Part Of: Substance use & misuse. Volume 52:Number 13(2017)
• Page Start: 1744
• Page End: 1750
• Publication Date: 2017-11-10
• Subjects: Alcohol abuse and dependence relapse prevention racial/ethnic minorities; Narcotic habit -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Behavior, Addictive -- Periodicals; Sustance-Related Disorders -- Periodicals; 362.2905
• DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2017.1310245
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1082-6084

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Background : Alcohol use is a pervasive and costly public health problem in the United States. Relapse rates from alcohol use disorders are high. Although exercise has been proposed as a strategy to prevent relapse, lifestyle modification is the least studied aspect of relapse prevention programs, especially among racial/ethnic minority populations. Objective : The current study assessed whether being physically active was associated with remission from alcohol abuse or dependence among Black (African American and Afro Caribbean) adults in the U.S. Method : We utilized data on Black adult participants (n = 4, 828) from the nationally representative National Survey of American Life (NSAL) conducted in 2001–2003. Logistic regression models were estimated to assess the odds of being in 12-month remission or currently meeting DSM-IV criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence based on level of physical activity, adjusting for socio-demographic and neighborhood characteristics. Results : People who endorsed being physically active had higher odds of being in 12-month remission from alcohol use problems (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.28, 2.17) than people who were physically inactive, adjusting for individual- and neighborhood-level characteristics. People who were physically active did not differ significantly from those who were inactive with respect to odds of currently meeting DSM-IV criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence. Conclusions/Importance : Physical activity was positively associated with being in 12-month remission from alcohol use problems. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish temporal ordering and to explore exercise as a potential relapse prevention strategy for alcohol use problems.