Many people, especially those who work on most days, look forward to the weekend. A new study suggests that these may include those who tend to work out more-and they welcome these less stressful days with some alcohol.
The Northwestern University website published an article last September 22, 2014, that cited a very interesting information: those who go to the gym on weekends tend to drink more alcohol. To be precise, they consume these drinks more often between Thursday and Sunday.
A group of researchers including David E. Conroy, who served as the lead author, conducted a self-reporting study among 150 participants with ages ranging from 18 to 89 years old. Using a smartphone app, they reported their alcohol consumption and level of physical activity each day for 21 days at three different occasions over the last 12 months, a process that's far different from the 30-day self-reporting.
According to Conroy, their procedure of data collection may be more accurate and effective since participants didn't have to be compelled to remember what they did over the last 30 days.
While a previous study mentioned that physically active people tend to drink more, this new research didn't prove it. Rather, they correlated that drinking among gym goers happens more often in certain times of the day.
When asked for an explanation for the study findings, Conroy was honest to admit that they didn't really know. Maybe the real reason will be answered in their future research. However, he hypothesized that drinking alcohol during these days may be a way for the physically active ones to reward themselves. It's also possible that on those times they work out more, they are more involved in social interactions, which may happen in places that serve alcohol. He also cited willpower as a possible cause-that is, by the time the social days roll in, most people lack sufficient willpower to say no to alcohol.
The study can now be read in Health Psychology.
