Citation

Kraus L, Metzner C, Piontek D. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2010; 110(1-2): 15-20.

Affiliation

IFT Institut für Therapieforschung, Parzivalstrasse 25, D-80804 München, Germany.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.01.020

PMID

20226599

Abstract

AIMS: The objective of the present analysis was to investigate the impact of alcopops (a sweet alcohol-containing drink that tastes much like a non-alcoholic soft drink) on drinking behaviour and alcohol-related negative consequences by controlling for alcohol consumption and the share of alcopops in total ethanol intake. METHODS: Data from the 2003 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD) in Germany were used. The final dataset comprised students aged 15-17 years who reported to have drunk alcohol in the past 7 days (n=5509). MEASUREMENTS: Alcohol consumption was assessed by beverage-specific quantity measures for the last 7 days. Individuals were categorised into "non-alcopop" and "alcopop consumers"; according to the share in total ethanol intake, alcopop users were further divided into "only-alcopop", "mix-alcopop" and "mix-consumers". Analogous groups were constructed for the other beverages. Outcome measures were age of first alcohol use and drunkenness, frequency of drinking, binge drinking and drunkenness and alcohol-related problems. Hypotheses were tested using proportional hazard models, linear and logistic regressions. FINDINGS: Controlling for overall volume few differences in consumption and problem measures were found when alcopop and non-alcopop users were compared. Further differentiation of the alcopop group also revealed only few differences. Similar associations were found for the other beverages. Only-alcopop and only-wine drinking was associated with less risky consumption patterns and negative consequences. CONCLUSIONS: An alcopop-specific effect on problematic drinking behaviour and negative consequences could not be identified. Concerted preventive actions tackling alcohol as a whole are needed in order to gain substantial effects on alcohol use and alcohol-related problems in adolescents.

Language: en