New research suggests that people who rarely or never exercise are more inclined to abuse alcohol, Medical Daily reported.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health found that those who rarely or never exercised had about between a 84 percent and 88 percent higher odds of abusing alcohol than those who exercised frequently.

"There have been studies of the association between substance use and related comorbid health conditions, such as depression and anxiety," April Joy Damian, study author and a doctoral student in the Department of Mental Health, said in a statement. "There has been little research that has examined the connection between exercise and decreased odds of alcohol use disorder."

Researchers surveyed more than 5,000 African-American men and women, The FInancial Express reported. The study took place between 2001 and 2003 and aimed to identify racial and ethnic differences in mental disorders and other psychological distress, including those used by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The study used the DSM-IV definition of alcohol abuse, which is defined as drinking that has negative social, professional and/or legal consequences.

"Because [the study] was essentially a snapshot that was taken at one point in time, we can't say that engaging in physical activity will prevent people from developing alcohol use disorder or that alcohol use disorder can be treated with physical activity," Damian said. "Given that alcohol use disorder has a high rate of co-occurrence for depression and anxiety, it merits further study all around, for African Americans as well as others. We should consider how physical activity contributes to alcohol-related behavior and design interventions for people who are at risk."

The findings were presented at the American Public Health Association.