Is Binge Drinking Associated With Specific Types of Exercise and Free Time Sports? A Pooled Analysis With 718,147 Adults

OBJECTIVE

To verify the association between exercise and free time sport types and binge drinking in a large sample of adults.

METHODS

Data of 718,147 adults from the "Surveillance of Risk and Protection Factors for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey" were used. We described the demographic and behavioral variables, and negative binomial regression analyzed the association between exercise and free time sport types and binge drinking adjusted by demographics variables, body mass index status, and television time.

RESULTS

Outdoor walking/running was the most common exercise reported (20.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 19.8%-20.2%), followed by team sports (8.1%; 95% CI, 8.0%-8.2%) and strengthening (8.0%; 95% CI, 7.9%-8.1%). The prevalence of binge drinking for each exercise and free time sport type ranged from 6.9% (water aerobics) to 31.9% (team sports). Participants engaging in strengthening (prevalence ratio = 1.12; 95% CI, 1.04-1.21, P = .002) and team sports (prevalence ratio = 1.11; 95% CI, 1.07-1.17, P < .001) were more likely to binge drink more frequently in the past 30 days than inactive participants.

CONCLUSIONS

It appears that the participants' profile plays an important role in the underlying social context of this association. Participants with more frequent strengthening and less frequent team sports practice, who were primarily younger and single, were more likely to binge drink frequently.

Metabolic equivalent of task (METs) thresholds as an indicator of physical activity intensity

The purpose of the study was to identify and compare validity parameters of different absolute intensity thresholds in METs, using relative intensity classification as criterion measure. Convenience sampling was used to recruit total of 112 adults. The participants carried out an incremental maximal cycle ergometer test and asked to perform nine free-living activities. The oxygen uptake was measured by a VO2000® gas analyser throughout the tests. The intensity thresholds were identified using Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, having relative intensity categories as criterion measure. A total of 103 participants attended the two visits. Among 54 men and 49 women, the mean (± SD) ages were 36.1 (± 11.1) and 33.9 (± 10.6) years, respectively. The intensity thresholds identified were 4.9 METs for moderate and 6.8 METs for vigorous physical activity. In conclusion, the physical activity thresholds, generated according to the entire sample, were higher and presented improved specificity when compared to thresholds currently recommended. Moreover, these parameters presented relatively high accuracy, even when applied to specific groups such as sex, age, nutritional status and physical fitness.