# Physical activity in older adults as a predictor of alcohol consumption – a longitudinal analysis of 3133 individuals in the SHARE study

## TL;DR

This study finds that older adults who are more physically active tend to consume more alcohol, suggesting a potential link between activity levels and drinking habits.

## Contribution

The study identifies a novel association between physical activity and alcohol consumption in older adults using longitudinal data from a large, multi-national cohort.

## Key findings

- Higher physical activity levels were significantly associated with higher alcohol consumption in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.
- Depressive symptoms and higher education were linked to increased alcohol consumption, while lower perceived health and female sex were associated with less frequent drinking.
- Country of residence was found to be a relevant factor influencing alcohol consumption patterns.

## Abstract

The prevalence of alcohol use disorder among older adults is increasing, with this population being particularly vulnerable to alcohol’s detrimental effects. While knowledge of preventative factors is scarce, physical activity has emerged as a potential modifiable protective factor. This study aimed to examine associations between alcohol consumption and physical activity in a large-scale, multi-national prospective study of the older adult population.

Longitudinal data from the SHARE study on physical activity, alcohol consumption, demographic, socioeconomic, and health variables, were analyzed in older adults. Individual-level data were examined using logistic regression models. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal models were calculated to account for potential latency in the association between physical activity and alcohol consumption.

The study included 3133 participants from 13 countries. Higher physical activity levels were significantly associated with higher alcohol consumption in cross-sectional (p = 0.0004) and longitudinal analyses (p = 0.0045) over a median follow-up of 6 years. While the presence of depressive symptoms and higher educational attainment were associated with higher alcohol consumption, female sex and persons with lower perceived health showed lower frequency of alcohol consumption. Additionally, the country of residence also proved to be a relevant factor for alcohol consumption.

Higher levels of physical activity showed an association with higher alcohol consumption in older adults. Future research should investigate whether this association is causal and underpinned by neurobiological, social, or methodological factors.