Binge drinking due to 'copying' behaviorJune 25, 2008THE rise in binge drinking in the young is a "fashion phenomenon" where drinkers are copying their associates' behaviour, new research has shown. A study conducted at Durham University's Institute of Advanced Study and Volterra Consulting UK shows that social networking is a key factor in the spread of the rapid consumption of large amounts of alcohol - binge drinking - which is blamed for serious anti-social and criminal behaviour. Researchers say the findings have major implications for Government policy makers charged with tackling the problem, which has longer-term and costly health implications for the nation. The research team, which estimates there are least one million binge drinkers in the 18-24 year old population participating in 1.5 million binge drinking events each week, used complex modelling techniques and interviews with 504 18-24 year olds to draw their conclusions. Binge drinkers were defined as participants who got drunk on three or more drinks (women) or on four or more drinks (men) at least once a week, or having ten or more drinks but not necessarily getting drunk at least once a week (both men and women). Using this criteria, nearly one-fifth (16.2 per cent) of the young people surveyed were classed as binge drinkers. Everyone in the survey was asked whether about the drinking behaviour of their friends, family and colleagues. Binge drinkers were more likely to describe their associates, particularly their friends, as fellow binge drinkers. For example, 85 per cent of the binge drinkers thought that all, almost all or most of their friends are binge drinkers, compared to 41 per cent of non-binge drinkers who described all, almost all or most of their friends as binge drinkers. Conversely, only three per cent of binge drinkers had no or hardly any friends that binge drank, compared to 22 per cent of non binge drinkers The second part of the research set out to test whether 'imitation behaviour' or copying was sufficient to account for the binge drinking through applying a series of models. It found that the 'small world' model, showing the interaction between overlapping friendship groups, best explained the statistics for the first part of the research. This suggests complex social networking and the behaviour exhibited through this is the root cause of binge drinking. Researchers say these findings pose challenges for policy makers in terms of identifying where and at whom to target their policies - they would need to tap into a series of complex friendship networks for their efforts to have any effect. However, if they could achieve this, triggering a reverse in binge drinking behaviour, the effect would be quite dramatic. The research is published online via an open access website http://arxiv.org/ (which is authored refereed before posting). Lead author, Paul Ormerod, of Durham University's Institute of Advanced Study and Volterra Consulting UK, said: "Binge drinking has become widespread among young people in Britain. Vomiting, collapsing in the street, shouting and chanting loudly, intimidating passers-by and fighting are now regular night-time features of many British towns and cities. "A particularly disturbing aspect is the huge rise in drunken and anti-social behaviour amongst young females. "We show that the rise in binge drinking is a fashion-related phenomenon, with imitative behaviour spreading across social networks, is sufficient to account for observed patterns of binge drinking behaviour. "This discovery is helpful to policy makers as it suggests, for example, that strategies based on the concept that there is a small number of 'influentials' who are important in the spread of anti-social behaviour are not likely to be very successful." Durham University |
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| Related Binge Drinking Current Events and Binge Drinking News Articles Athletes on performance enhancers more likely to abuse alcohol, other drugs College athletes who use performance-enhancing substances may be at heightened risk of misusing alcohol and using recreational drugs as well, according to new research in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Tanked-up teens: Cheap alcohol strongly linked to harmful underage drinking in the UK Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Public Health studied the drinking habits of 9833 15-16 year olds in the North West of England, finding that excessively low cost alcohol products and illicit purchase are strongly related to harmful underage drinking. UK incidence of children living with substance-misusing parents considerably underestimated Current figures underestimate the number of children who may be at risk of harm from parental substance use. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Public Health have generated new estimates using five national surveys which include measures of binge, hazardous and dependent drinking, illicit drug use and mental health. Binge drinkers let down guard against infection As if a bad hangover wasn't enough of a deterrent, new research has shown how binge drinking weakens the body's ability to fight off infection for at least 24 hours afterwards. Heavy-drinking colleges showing no improvements U.S. colleges with the biggest student drinking problems have so far failed to turn the tide, according to a new study. Rate of teen binge drinking cut more than 1/3 by prevention system Rates of binge drinking were 37 percent lower among eighth-grade students in communities in seven states that used a prevention system designed to reduce drug use and delinquent behavior compared to teenagers in communities that did not use the system. A double-threat to teen health As teens head back to school, health teachers may want to revise their lesson plans. Temple researchers have found that kids who engage in heavy drinking will more than likely also engage in heavy smoking, and they say educators can help combat the trend by addressing both topics as one health risk. Higher drinking age linked to less binge drinking...except in college students New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found substantial reductions in binge drinking since the national drinking age was set at 21 two decades ago, with one exception: college students. College drinking problems, deaths on the rise Alcohol-related deaths, heavy drinking episodes and drunk driving have all been on the rise on college campuses over the past decade, a new government study shows. Colleges, communities combat off-campus student drinking Programs that bring colleges and their surrounding neighborhoods together may help reduce off-campus drinking problems, a new study suggests. More Binge Drinking Current Events and Binge Drinking News Articles |
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