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Review
. 2009 May;106(19):323-8.
doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2009.0323. Epub 2009 May 8.

Binge drinking in childhood and adolescence: epidemiology, consequences, and interventions

Martin Stolle  1 , Peter-Michael Sack, Rainer Thomasius
Affiliations
Review

Binge drinking in childhood and adolescence: epidemiology, consequences, and interventions

Martin Stolle et al. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2009 May.

Abstract

Background: Episodic excessive alcohol consumption ("binge drinking") among children and adolescents has become a serious public health problem in Germany and is associated with a variety of risks.

Methods: Selective literature search of the Ovid Medline database from 1998 to 2008.

Results: Episodic excessive alcohol consumption is associated not only with somatic complications, but also with traffic accidents and other types of accident, violent behavior, and suicide. The more frequently a child or adolescent drinks to excess, and the younger he or she is, the greater is the risk of developing an alcohol-related disorder (alcohol misuse or dependence syndrome). In the USA, brief motivational interventions have been shown to have a small to medium-sized beneficial effect in reducing further binge drinking and its complications.

Conclusions: The intervention HaLT ("Stop," also an acronym for Hart am Limit--"near the limit") is performed in a number of regions in Germany. Further types of brief motivating intervention should be developed and evaluated to prevent the development of alcohol-related disorders, where indicated, in children and adolescents that engage in binge drinking.

Keywords: adolescent health; alcohol consumption; alcohol dependence; child health; short-term treatment.

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Comment in

  • Binge drinking in adolescents.
    Zimmermann US, Laucht M. Zimmermann US, et al. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2009 Sep;106(37):595; author reply 595-6. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2009.0595a. Epub 2009 Sep 11. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2009. PMID: 19890426 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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