Exercise ‘cuts risk’ of alcohol-related diseases

New research has concluded that regular physical activity can decrease the risk of dying by alcohol-related cancer and other diseases.

The study concluded that two and a half hours a week of physical activity can reduce a person’s chances of dying from alcohol-related diseases

According to a study of 36,370 British patients published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, undertaking two and a half hours a week of physical activity can reduce a person’s chances of dying from diseases associated with alcohol drinking.

The study examined the health of men and women over the age of 40 who had provided data for six editions of the Health Survey for Researchers found a “direct association” between alcohol consumption and cancer mortality risk, ranging from drinking within guidelines to hazardous drinking.

However, further analysis revealed the risk of death was lowered in people who exercised more.

The report detailed that while hazardous drinking usually raises the risk of early death by 20%, and cancer death by 52%, undertaking moderate exercise lowered the stats to 9% and 18% respectively.

The study concluded:”Stratified analyses showed that the association between alcohol intake and mortality risk was attenuated (all-cause) or nearly nullified (cancer) among individuals who met the physical activity (PA) recommendations.”

“Meeting the current PA public health recommendations offsets some of the cancer and all-cause mortality risk associated with alcohol drinking.”

However, experts have added that it is difficult to know if people were accurate in their estimations of alcohol intake and exercise, and whether the changes in risk patterns were truly attributed to exercise.
Kevin McConway, emeritus professor of statistics at the Open University, told The Guardian: “Does this mean that I don’t have to worry about the effect of drinking on my health, as long as I get enough exercise? Well, no, it doesn’t, for a long list of reasons.