Promotion of leisure-time physical activity by craft breweries in Knoxville, Tennessee

Abstract

ABSTRACT There exists literature written on connections between alcohol consumption and physical activity, but no research has been conducted to assess co-occurrence of these as paired behaviours. However, a growing collection of popular articles point towards a particularly unique relationship between craft beer and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). To empirically describe this phenomenon, the research objective was to profile craft breweries in Knoxville, TN regarding prevalence/type of LTPA promotion and its relation to neighbourhood built environment factors. Data from breweries (N = 13) were collected using electronic surveys, content analysis of Facebook, and Walk Score metrics. Analyses included descriptive and frequency statistics, non-parametric correlations, chi-square, and Mann-Whitney tests. All craft brewery respondents (N = 10) indicated hosting group activities (median = 4/month). Although a relatively small proportion (3.7%) of Facebook posts mentioned LTPA, the frequency with which these posts occurred was inversely related to shopping, culture, dining/drinking, and walkability scores (r’s = −.503 to −.831, p’s<.05). These findings point to craft breweries as potential entry points for LTPA promotion, warranting further research regarding patron behaviour and perceptions. We discuss our findings in relation to the role of craft breweries in neighbourhood revitalisation, as well concerns regarding aspects of diversity.