Physical activity and physical fitness in community patients with alcohol use disorders versus matched healthy controls: cross-sectional data from Uganda

Abstract

In order to develop adequate public health
interventions, there is a need to explore whether
people with an alcohol use disorder (AUD) not
requiring inpatient treatment do have
compromised physical health and are consequently
a population at risk. We cross-sectionally compared
physical fitness and physical activity levels in
community patients with an AUD with healthy
matched controls in Uganda. Fifty community
patients (42 men, median age=32.0 years,
interquartile range=10.7 years) and 50 age-,
gender- and body mass index-matched controls
performed a 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and
completed the Simple Physical Activity
Questionnaire (SIMPAQ). Differences between
groups were assessed with a t-test or Mann
Whitney U test when appropriate. Community
patients with AUD have significantly lower 6MWT
[median=480.0 (interquartile range=109) versus
802.5 (121.2) m, P<0.001], SIMPAQ walking [0
(30.0) min/day versus 35.0 (17.4) min/day,
P<0.001], SIMPAQ exercise [0 (1.5) min/day versus
0 (2.5) min/day, P<0.001], and SIMPAQ incidental
physical activity [30.0 (50.0) min/day versus 300.0
(315.0) min/day, P<0.001]. A reduced physical
fitness and physical inactivity should be considered
and assessed in early interventions targeting
community patients with AUDs. If left untreated,
both might also emerge as important modifiable
risk factors for somatic co-morbidity in this
population-at-risk.