High-risk drinking characteristics in collegiate athletes

Abstract

Objective: The authors aimed to further describe the relationship of alcohol use by college athletes to variables, such as sport participation, time of year, and level of competition.

Participants: There were 720 participants from Divisions I, II, and III who participated in either a team sport or an individual sport.

Methods: The authors measured characteristics of alcohol use by college athletes at 9 colleges and universities.

Results: Participants reported a high rate of consuming 5 or more drinks per occasion in the past 2 weeks. There were greater percentages of team sport athletes reporting this behavior than athletes of individual sports, and there were significant differences according to level of competition.

Conclusions: The college athletes in this study reported high-risk alcohol use at percentages much higher than previously reported. The findings and practical application of the results are discussed.