Physical Activity and Binge Drinking in College Students

Background/Purpose Recent research has shown that binge drinking in college students is associated with both negative health behaviors (ie. smoking) and positive health behaviors such as increased physical activity (PA) levels. The purpose of the present study is to further examine this role of PA by determining if different PA classifications (moderate-intensity cardio, vigorous-intensity cardio, and strength training) may in fact provide a protective factor for binge drinking in a sample of students from a mid-sized southeastern university.

Methods Data were collected via an online survey from 660 students (304 females; 336 males; mean age =20.1+/-.06297; 63.4 % Caucasian, 28.9% African American, 1.7% Latino/a, 2.6% other) enrolled in physical activity classes.

Analysis/Results A logistic regression was performed to identify significant physical activity predictors of binge drinking status. Strength training was the only type of physical activity found to be a minimally significant predictor of binge drinking status (p=0.042) resulting in an odds ratio of 1.087. Moderate cardio and strength training were not significant predictors of binge drinking status.

Conclusions This study suggests the possibility of a very small protective effect of strength training for binge drinking. Alternative classifications of physical activity appeared to have no significant influence on binge drinking in this population. Due to the mandatory enrollment of students in the physical activity program, implications for these findings may highlight abnormal physical activity behaviors in study participants which would not normally be observed on a voluntary basis. Further investigations of voluntary physical activity at various levels of intensity and modalities should be explored as potential protective factors for binge drinking in this population.