Exercise Could Counteract Dangers of Alcohol

09 Sep 2016 --- Exercise for three hours a week could be enough to offset the negative effects of consuming alcohol, according to a new study conducted by the University of Sydney and the College of London.

The research looked at responses from eight nationally representative baseline health surveys carried out in the United Kingdom between 1994 and 2006, which looked at the impact of physical activity and alcohol consumption on health outcomes.

Compared with never having been a drinker, even drinking within UK 2015 recommended levels was associated with a 36 per cent greater risk of death from cancer as well as a 13 per cent greater risk of death from any cause.

However, this risk was substantially lessened or offset among those who were physically active at the basic recommended level, levels equivalent to at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking, or at the upper recommended level, levels equivalent to at least 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.

In the physically active groups, only harmful levels of drinking were associated with increased risk of cancer death and death from any cause.

Impact of alcohol consumption on risk of dying from cancer, showed that of physically active and inactive participants combined, the moderate drinkers were 38 per cent more likely to die from cancer.

Hazardous drinkers were 40 per cent more likely to die from cancer while harmful drinkers were 74 per cent more likely to die from cancer.

Drinking levels were defined as follows. Those who have never drank and those who have given up drinking, moderate drinkers, which covered those who drank up to 17 standard Australian drinks per week for men, and up to 11 for women, hazardous drinkers, defined as those who consumed between 17-39 standard Australian drinks per week for men and between 11-29 for women, and harmful drinkers, defined as those who drank over 39 standard Australian drinks per week for men, and over 28 standard drinks per week for women.

“Our research suggests that physical activity has substantial health benefits even in the presence of potentially unhealthy behaviors such as drinking alcohol,” said senior author Associate Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, from the Charles Perkins Centre and Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Sydney.

Stamatakis continued, “However, we cannot suggest that doing some exercise is a license to drink more alcohol, as alcohol abuse causes significant health and societal damage. But given that so many people do drink alcohol, our study gives yet another compelling reason to encourage and empower people to be physically active and ask policy makers to invest in physical activity-friendly environments.”