More than 3.8 million adults across England use exercise to "make up" for excessive alcohol consumption, according to new research from the Department of Health (DH).

A YouGov survey carried out on behalf of the government's Know Your Limits campaign has found that 19 per cent of English adults admitted using exercise or sport as a way of offsetting the effects of alcohol consumption. The research also found 20 per cent of English adults currently drink more than double the recommended limits of alcohol, with more than a quarter of those admitting to using exercise as a means of compensating.

Public health minister Gillian Merron said: "Everyone knows that regularly taking part in physical activity is important for maintaining good health. But the truth is, if you have a big night at the pub, you're not going to compensate with a workout the following day. "Damage from regularly drinking too much can slowly creep up and you won't see it until it's too late."

The Know Your Limits scheme - unveiled by the DH and the Home Office in 2006 - has now teamed up with the health and fitness sector in a bid to increase awareness among gym users about the long-term health risks caused by excessive drinking. GP and broadcaster Dr Carol Cooper added: "Regular exercise is vital for staying healthy, so on the one hand it is encouraging that so many heavy drinkers recognise their drinking habits aren't good for them, and that they want to make up for it by taking exercise.

"But people need to be aware that regularly drinking double the recommended limits comes with health risks that can't simply be burnt off down the gym, in the pool, or on the football pitch." Nearly 500 gyms and leisure centres across England, including sites run by health club operator Fitness First UK, have signed up to a new month-long initiative to promote safe drinking, which will feature users keeping "drink diaries" to monitor consumption.

Fitness First UK's national fitness manager Derek Crawford said: "We understand that people like to socialise and have a drink, and there's nothing wrong with that. However, it makes sense to monitor the unit consumption over a period of time because if the consumption exceeds the recommended units, this may have an adverse affect on a person's fitness performance not to mention their overall health and wellbeing."