Associations Of Physical Activity And Sedentary Time With Craving In Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment is challenging. Relapse is common and related to alcohol craving. Identifying modifiable risk factors for craving could improve treatment. PURPOSE: To determine associations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time (SED) with alcohol craving in a large sample of adults entering treatment for AUD. METHODS: Data was collected from adults entering detox, residential, Psychiatric Partial Hospitalization/Intensive Outpatient Programs or private practice AUD treatment (n = 670) in the US. Demographics, verbal craving (Alcohol Craving Questionnaire), visual craving (assessed via a standardized series of pictures), and last-week MVPA and SED (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-SF) were self-reported. MVPA was categorized (mins/week): inactive [0], insufficiently active [1-149], meets recommendations [150-299], or exceeds recommendations [≥300]. SED was categorized (mins/day): ≤ 240, 241-360, 361-480, and 481+. Linear regressions with trend analyses estimated associations between MVPA/SED and craving, adjusted for demographics; group means were compared via Cohen’s d. RESULTS: Neither MVPA (p = 0.32) nor SED (p = 0.18) were significantly associated with verbal craving. Mean differences in verbal craving for MVPA were small (d = 0.23) between those meeting recommendations (mean = 16.2) and exceeding recommendations (mean = 14.1) and also small (d = 0.20) between those reporting ≤240 mins/day (mean = 15.8) and 481+ mins/day (mean = 13.9) SED. Neither MVPA (p = 0.18) nor SED (p = 0.21) were significantly associated with visual craving. Mean differences in verbal craving for MVPA were small (d = 0.24) between those meeting recommendations (mean = 5.49) and exceeding recommendations (mean = 3.84) and also small (d = 0.22) between those reporting ≤240 mins/day (mean = 5.32) and 241-360 mins/day (mean = 3.78) SED. CONCLUSION: Upon treatment entry, recent MVPA and SED had small, nonsignificant relationships with craving. Craving, MVPA and SED fluctuate throughout the day and over time during recovery; MVPA and SED may have stronger relationships when craving is at its highest. Evaluating behavioral and craving patterns during treatment will be informative for determining the potential impact of behavior modifications on craving.