British Young People Who Participate in Sports Are at an Increased Risk of Alcohol Use

Background: Alcohol use is one of the top five risk factors for disease, disability and death throughout the world. Compared to their peers, British adolescents report some of the highest levels of alcohol use in Europe. Community organisations can potentially play an important role in the delivery of policy interventions aimed at reducing alcohol misuse. It is believed that young people who participate in sports enjoy healthier lifestyles; however, participation in sports is associated with risky alcohol use in certain populations. Little is known about British young peoples’ engagement in sports and associated alcohol use.

Method: Data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a British longitudinal cohort, were analysed to determine whether participation in sports predicted adolescent alcohol use at 15 (n = 2,316) and 16 years of age (n = 1,800). Logistic regressions compared youth who participated in sports to those who participated in non-athletic activities and those who participated in no activities.

Results: After controlling for confounding variables, those who participated in sports were more likely than participants in non-athletic activities and no activities to consume at least three units on average (OR: 0.62, CI: 0.44-0.88, p < 0.01; OR: 0.71, CI: 0.54-0.93, p < 0.05, respectively) at age 16. Participants in sports were also more likely than participants in non-athletic activities to consume at least six units monthly (OR: 0.62, CI: 0.44-0.89, p < 0.01).

Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of sport participation on adolescent alcohol use. Future research should aim to identify why participation in sports during adolescence contributes to an increased risk of alcohol use and if sport participation in adolescence predicts adult alcohol use in the UK.