Aerobic exercise for alcohol recovery: rationale, program description, and preliminary findings.
Alcohol use disorders are a major public health concern. Despite the demonstrated efficacy of a number of different treatments for alcohol dependence, relapse remains a major problem. Healthy lifestyle changes may contribute to long-term maintenance of recovery, and interventions targeting physical activity, in particular, may be especially valuable as an adjunct to alcohol treatment. In this article, the authors discuss the rationale and review potential mechanisms of action whereby exercise might benefit alcohol dependent patients in recovery. They then describe the development of a 12-week moderate-intensity aerobic exercise program as an adjunctive intervention for alcohol dependent patients in recovery. Preliminary data from a pilot study (N=19) are presented, and the overall significance of this research effort is discussed.
Brown
Richard A
RA
Alpert Medical School of Brown University/Butler Hospital, USA.
Abrantes
Ana M
AM
Read
Jennifer P
JP
Marcus
Bess H
BH
Jakicic
John
J
Strong
David R
DR
Oakley
Julie R
JR
Ramsey
Susan E
SE
Kahler
Christopher W
CW
Stuart
Gregory
G
Dubreuil
Mary Ella
ME
Gordon
Alan A
AA
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010809:Physical Fitness; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055502:Secondary Prevention