The association between psychological distress and alcohol consumption and physical activity: a population-based cohort study
IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic and infection control measures caused changes to daily life for most people. Heavy alcohol consumption and physical inactivity are two important behavioral risk factors for noncommunicable diseases worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its social distancing measure...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1181046/full |
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| author | Silvia Eiken Alpers Silvia Eiken Alpers Ståle Pallesen Ståle Pallesen Jørn Henrik Vold Jørn Henrik Vold Jørn Henrik Vold Ellen Haug Ellen Haug Linn-Heidi Lunde Linn-Heidi Lunde Jens Christoffer Skogen Jens Christoffer Skogen Jens Christoffer Skogen Asgeir Mamen Silje Mæland Lars Thore Fadnes Lars Thore Fadnes |
| author_facet | Silvia Eiken Alpers Silvia Eiken Alpers Ståle Pallesen Ståle Pallesen Jørn Henrik Vold Jørn Henrik Vold Jørn Henrik Vold Ellen Haug Ellen Haug Linn-Heidi Lunde Linn-Heidi Lunde Jens Christoffer Skogen Jens Christoffer Skogen Jens Christoffer Skogen Asgeir Mamen Silje Mæland Lars Thore Fadnes Lars Thore Fadnes |
| author_sort | Silvia Eiken Alpers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic and infection control measures caused changes to daily life for most people. Heavy alcohol consumption and physical inactivity are two important behavioral risk factors for noncommunicable diseases worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its social distancing measures, home office policies, isolation, and quarantine requirements may have an impact on these factors. This three-wave longitudinal study aims to investigate if psychological distress and worries related to health and economy were associated with levels and changes in alcohol consumption and physical activity during the two first years of the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway.MethodsWe used data collected in April 2020, January 2021, and January 2022 from an online longitudinal population-based survey. Alcohol consumption and physical activity status were assessed at all three measuring points via the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT-C) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF). COVID-19-related worries, home office/study, occupational situation, age, gender, children below 18 years living at home, and psychological distress (measured with the Symptom Checklist (SCL-10)) were included as independent variables in the model. A mixed model regression was used and presented with coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsAnalysis of data from 25,708 participants demonstrates that participants with substantial symptoms of psychological distress more often reported higher alcohol consumption (1.86 units/week, CI 1.48–2.24) and lower levels of physical activity [−1,043 Metabolic Equivalents of Task (METs) per week, CI −1,257;−828] at baseline. Working/studying from home (0.37 units/week, CI 0.24–0.50) and being male (1.57 units/week, CI 1.45–1.69) were associated with higher alcohol consumption. Working/studying from home (−536 METs/week, CI −609;−463), and being older than 70 years (−503 METs/week, CI −650;−355) were related to lower levels of physical activity. The differences in activity levels between those with the highest and lowest levels of psychological distress reduced over time (239 METs/week, CI 67;412), and similarly the differences in alcohol intake reduced over time among those having and not having children < 18 years (0.10 units/week, CI 0.01–0.19).ConclusionThese findings highlight the substantial increases in risks related to inactivity and alcohol consumption among those with high levels of psychological distress symptoms, and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and increase the understanding of factors associated with worries and health behavior. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T03:54:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de44096845564a57bf811eb74e4576f0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T03:54:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-de44096845564a57bf811eb74e4576f02023-06-22T08:13:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402023-06-011410.3389/fpsyt.2023.11810461181046The association between psychological distress and alcohol consumption and physical activity: a population-based cohort studySilvia Eiken Alpers0Silvia Eiken Alpers1Ståle Pallesen2Ståle Pallesen3Jørn Henrik Vold4Jørn Henrik Vold5Jørn Henrik Vold6Ellen Haug7Ellen Haug8Linn-Heidi Lunde9Linn-Heidi Lunde10Jens Christoffer Skogen11Jens Christoffer Skogen12Jens Christoffer Skogen13Asgeir Mamen14Silje Mæland15Lars Thore Fadnes16Lars Thore Fadnes17Department of Addiction Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Psychosocial Science, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, NorwayOptentia Research Focus Area, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South AfricaBergen Addiction Research, Department of Addiction Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, NorwayDivision of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Health Promotion and Development, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Teacher Education, NLA University College, Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Addiction Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway0Department of Health Promotion, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway1Alcohol and Drug Research Western Norway, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway2Centre for Evaluation of Public Health Measures, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway3School of Health Sciences, Kristiania University College, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, NorwayBergen Addiction Research, Department of Addiction Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, NorwayIntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic and infection control measures caused changes to daily life for most people. Heavy alcohol consumption and physical inactivity are two important behavioral risk factors for noncommunicable diseases worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its social distancing measures, home office policies, isolation, and quarantine requirements may have an impact on these factors. This three-wave longitudinal study aims to investigate if psychological distress and worries related to health and economy were associated with levels and changes in alcohol consumption and physical activity during the two first years of the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway.MethodsWe used data collected in April 2020, January 2021, and January 2022 from an online longitudinal population-based survey. Alcohol consumption and physical activity status were assessed at all three measuring points via the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT-C) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF). COVID-19-related worries, home office/study, occupational situation, age, gender, children below 18 years living at home, and psychological distress (measured with the Symptom Checklist (SCL-10)) were included as independent variables in the model. A mixed model regression was used and presented with coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsAnalysis of data from 25,708 participants demonstrates that participants with substantial symptoms of psychological distress more often reported higher alcohol consumption (1.86 units/week, CI 1.48–2.24) and lower levels of physical activity [−1,043 Metabolic Equivalents of Task (METs) per week, CI −1,257;−828] at baseline. Working/studying from home (0.37 units/week, CI 0.24–0.50) and being male (1.57 units/week, CI 1.45–1.69) were associated with higher alcohol consumption. Working/studying from home (−536 METs/week, CI −609;−463), and being older than 70 years (−503 METs/week, CI −650;−355) were related to lower levels of physical activity. The differences in activity levels between those with the highest and lowest levels of psychological distress reduced over time (239 METs/week, CI 67;412), and similarly the differences in alcohol intake reduced over time among those having and not having children < 18 years (0.10 units/week, CI 0.01–0.19).ConclusionThese findings highlight the substantial increases in risks related to inactivity and alcohol consumption among those with high levels of psychological distress symptoms, and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and increase the understanding of factors associated with worries and health behavior.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1181046/fullalcohol consumptionphysical activitypsychological distressworriesrisk factorspandemic (COVID-19) |
| spellingShingle | Silvia Eiken Alpers Silvia Eiken Alpers Ståle Pallesen Ståle Pallesen Jørn Henrik Vold Jørn Henrik Vold Jørn Henrik Vold Ellen Haug Ellen Haug Linn-Heidi Lunde Linn-Heidi Lunde Jens Christoffer Skogen Jens Christoffer Skogen Jens Christoffer Skogen Asgeir Mamen Silje Mæland Lars Thore Fadnes Lars Thore Fadnes The association between psychological distress and alcohol consumption and physical activity: a population-based cohort study Frontiers in Psychiatry alcohol consumption physical activity psychological distress worries risk factors pandemic (COVID-19) |
| title | The association between psychological distress and alcohol consumption and physical activity: a population-based cohort study |
| title_full | The association between psychological distress and alcohol consumption and physical activity: a population-based cohort study |
| title_fullStr | The association between psychological distress and alcohol consumption and physical activity: a population-based cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The association between psychological distress and alcohol consumption and physical activity: a population-based cohort study |
| title_short | The association between psychological distress and alcohol consumption and physical activity: a population-based cohort study |
| title_sort | association between psychological distress and alcohol consumption and physical activity a population based cohort study |
| topic | alcohol consumption physical activity psychological distress worries risk factors pandemic (COVID-19) |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1181046/full |
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