Extending upon student drinking patterns in an Australian population

One hundred and twenty-two students from the University of Queensland were surveyed regarding their attitudes and behaviour toward alcohol. As an extension of earlier investigations at the same university the study provides some monitoring of drinking levels over 8 years. Results indicate that the quantity and frequency of male consumption continues to be greater than that of females. Sex differences were also evident in beverage preferences. An increase in the proportion of males drinking more than 40 grams of alcohol per day was noted. The implications of this finding are discussed within the broader context of comparisons across studies and with reference to National Health and Medical Research Council recommendations for alcohol consumption.