Calorie restriction on drinking days: an examination of drinking consequences among college students.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association between restricting calories on intended drinking days and drunkenness frequency and alcohol-related consequences among college students. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included a random sample of 4,271 undergraduate college students from 10 universities. METHODS: Students completed a Web-based survey regarding their high-risk drinking behaviors and calorie restriction on intended drinking days. RESULTS: Thirty-nine percent of past 30-day drinkers reported restricting calories on days they planned to drink alcohol, of which 67% restricted because of weight concerns. Restricting calories on drinking days was associated with greater odds of getting drunk in a typical week. Women who restricted were more likely to report memory loss, being injured, being taken advantage of sexually, and having unprotected sex while drinking. Men were more likely to get into a physical fight. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the importance of considering weight control behaviors in the examination of high-risk college drinking.

Author information

Author/s: Giles, Steven M (SM); Champion, Heather (H); Sutfin, Erin L (EL); McCoy, Thomas P (TP); Wagoner, Kim (K);

Affiliation: The Department of Communication, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. gilessm(-atsign-)wfu.edu

Grants: R01AA14007 (Agency:NIAAA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Journal of American college health : J of ACH (J Am Coll Health), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2009 May-Jun; vol 57 (issue 6) : pp 603-9

Dates: Created 2009/05/12; Completed 2009/06/30;

PMID: 19433398, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 6/30/2009, IMS Date: 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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