The true meaning behind the concept of "drink responsibly" or "moderate consumption" in young people: An experimental study

The objective of this study was to examine young people's perceptions and perceived thresholds of "responsible", "moderate", and "risky" alcohol consumption.

We conducted an experimental vignette-based study with 242 university students randomly assigned to one of five scenarios: (A) responsible drinking in general, (B) moderate drinking in general, (C) responsible drinking in a party context, (D) moderate drinking in a party context, and (E) risky drinking. Participants were provided with standardized materials (e.g., bottles, glasses, ice) and asked to represent the amount of alcohol corresponding to their assigned scenario. We then measured the alcohol content of each representation and converted it into grams of alcohol.

Participants attributed a median of 26.4 grams of alcohol to responsible or moderate drinking in a general context. These amounts increased in party settings, reaching medians of 33.5 grams for responsible drinking and 48.5 grams for moderate drinking. The median amount considered risky was 102.8 grams per occasion. Participants classified as hazardous drinkers (AUDIT-C) consistently reported higher perceived thresholds across all scenarios.

Young people interpret "responsible" and "moderate" drinking as involving alcohol quantities that exceed public health recommendations, particularly in social contexts. These findings highlight the limitations of industry-led messages and support the need for clearer, evidence-based communication strategies developed by public health professionals.