ERIC Number: EJ1244940
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0744-8481
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Longitudinal Association between Alcohol Use and Physical Activity in US College Students: Evidence for Directionality
Graupensperger, Scott; Wilson, Oliver; Bopp, Melissa; Blair Evans, M.
Journal of American College Health, v68 n2 p155-162 2020
Objective: To investigate directionality of the association between alcohol use and physical activity in a college student sample, longitudinally across three time points. Participants: A total of 396 undergraduate students from a large university in the United States (62% females) participated in this study. 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. Conclusion: 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.
Descriptors: Drinking, Health Behavior, Longitudinal Studies, Undergraduate Students, Correlation, Physical Activities, Prediction
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) (DHHS/NIH); National Institute on Drug Abuse (DHHS/PHS)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: TL1TR002016; T32DA017629
Author Affiliations: N/A