Research Impact: This secondary analysis explored the potential mediating effects of changes in mood states in the relationship between exercise intensity and alcohol cravings among 117 sedentary adults (68.4% female; 52±12y) with clinician-diagnosed Alcohol Use Disorder. Improvements in total mood disturbance and state anxiety did not mediate the effect of higher exercise intensity on reductions in alcohol cravings. However, participants whose anxiety reduced during exercise had two times higher odds of reduced cravings when exercising at higher intensity than participants whose anxiety worsened. Thus, reductions in anxiety may partly explain the positive effect of higher exercise intensity on alcohol cravings.
Pechtl S, Abrantes AM, Sjoqvist H, Andreasson S, Herring MP, Hallgren M (2024). Do changes in mood and anxiety mediate exercise-induced reductions in alcohol cravings? An exploratory study. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/adb0000987 (IF: 3.4; SSCI Q2 Psychology, Multidisciplinary; R=44/147; Decile 3)
PESS News & Information 