Longitudinal association between alcohol use and physical activity in US college students: Evidence for directionality

Abstract

OBJECTIVE-To investigate directionality of the association between alcohol use and physical activity in a college student sample, longitudinally across three time points. PARTICIPANTS-396 undergraduate students from a large university in the United States (62% women). METHODS-Self-report data of alcohol use and physical activity were collected at three timepoints with 3-month lags between waves. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel modeling was used to disentangle within-and between-person effects. RESULTS-Despite no significant between-person effects, there were significant cross-lagged paths from alcohol use to vigorous physical activity at the within-person level. Specifically, when individuals consumed more alcohol than normal at earlier timepoints, they reported more subsequent vigorous physical activity at 3-month follow-ups. CONCLUSIONS-We provide evidence that alcohol use may positively predict later physical activity in college students over the course of a school year. These findings advance theoretical understanding of how these two health behaviors are linked using sophisticated methods.

Positive and Negative Changes in Food Habits, Physical Activity Patterns, and Weight Status during COVID-19 Confinement: Associated Factors in the Chilean Population

“…Moreover, Jurak et al suggested that being physically active is a simple and effective way of addressing the adverse effects of COVID-19 [ 42 ]. In contrast to our results, there is strong evidence for the existence of a positive association between alcohol consumption and PA [ 43 , 44 , 45 ]. Additionally, another study reported that moderate drinkers and heavy drinkers were more likely than abstainers to have physically active lifestyles in data representative of the U.S. population [ 46 ].…”

What happens when the party moves home? The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. college student alcohol consumption as a function of legal drinking status using longitudinal data

“…Many students may have found that their college level drinking habits were not endorsed within their family homes and adjusted accordingly. There are also additional explanations outside of the scope of the current study, such as decrease in peer pressure [ 19 ], change in caloric intake and physical activity [ 20 ], and loss of financial opportunities [ 21 ]. These, and others, should be explored in future research.…”

Is Alcohol Consumption Related to Lifestyle Factors in Romanian University Students?

“…has been described to reduce the association between alcohol consumption and risk of death [ 37 ], whereas others have found an association between higher P.A. and high levels of alcohol consumption [ 38 , 39 ]. Research indicates that college students who engage in regular vigorous physical activity are more likely to participate in social gatherings and show a higher acceptance for alcohol consumption [ 40 ].…”