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Alcohol and college athletes.
1Department of Health and Social Behavior, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. tnelson@hsph.harvard.edu
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|February 24, 2001
Summary
Collegiate athletes in the US report higher rates of heavy episodic alcohol consumption and related harms. Targeted prevention efforts are needed to address unique social influences and athlete motivations.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Public Health
- Substance Abuse Research
Background:
- Heavy episodic alcohol consumption, or binge drinking, is a significant public health concern.
- Collegiate athletes represent a unique demographic with potential risk factors for increased alcohol use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine heavy episodic alcohol consumption and associated harms in US collegiate athletes.
- To explore factors promoting or deterring such alcohol use among athletes.
Main Methods:
- A nationally representative sample of US college students completed self-report questionnaires in 1997.
- Athletes were defined as students participating in at least one hour of intercollegiate athletics daily.
- Binge drinking was defined based on gender-specific consumption levels within the past two weeks.
Main Results:
- Athletes reported higher rates of binge drinking, heavier overall alcohol consumption, and more alcohol-related harms compared to non-athletes.
- Strong social ties, often associated with binge drinking, were more prevalent among athletes.
- Despite heavier drinking, athletes reported greater exposure to prevention programs and unique motivations to reduce alcohol intake.
Conclusions:
- Collegiate athletes are a high-risk group for binge drinking and related harms.
- Existing prevention programs have not sufficiently mitigated the problem.
- Future interventions should address athletes' unique social/environmental influences and leverage their self-limiting motivations.