Association of Alcohol Use and Physical Activity with Body Mass Index in Mexican-Origin Adults

Background: Studies across racial/ethnic groups indicate that physical activity (PA) and alcohol consumption are positively associated, and that alcohol consumption is negatively associated with body mass index (BMI), but this relationship is less often evaluated in Hispanics. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships between alcohol consumption, PA, and BMI in Hispanic adults. Methods: In this secondary data analysis of a Mexican-American cohort, we collected self-reported PA, alcohol consumption, and demographics, and measured height and weight. Linear regression assessed the association between PA and alcohol consumption with BMI, controlling for covariates. Total sample for analyses was n = 3897. Results: We found an inverse relationship between high PA and BMI in the full sample (adjusted estimate = − 0.03, 95% CI − 0.07, − 0.01) and in females, but not males. We also found an inverse relationship between current alcohol use and BMI in the full sample (adjusted estimate = − 0.05, 95% CI − 0.09, − 0.01) and both sexes. There was no significant interaction between PA and alcohol use on BMI. Conclusions: In this study of Mexican-origin adults, current alcohol use and high PA were associated with lower BMIs, but there was no interaction between PA and alcohol use. These results can be used to inform multiple behavior change interventions in Mexican-origin adults.