Abstract
Purpose. This study’s objective is to document which factors are associated with binge drinking behaviour in a population-based sample of Canadian youth aged 12 to 14. Middle school is a key period in which binge drinking behaviour is initiated. Binge drinking is an important risk factor for alcohol-related injuries, accidental death, unsafe sexual behaviour, and substance abuse problems. Understanding the drinking patterns of this population can serve to better inform prevention programs and interventions targeted to middle school youth. Methods. This study was based on a secondary analysis of a regionally representative community-based sample drawn from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) cycle 3.1. Crude and adjusted logistic regression analyses of binge drinking were conducted using the 6,172 respondents aged 12 to 14 in the sample. Results. Approximately one in every twenty-five 12-to-14-year-olds had binged in the past year. The odds of binge drinking were higher among Whites, poorer adolescents, those with several chronic health conditions, and those with mood disorders. Neither sex, immigrant status, nor self-rated health was significantly associated with binge drinking in either the adjusted or the unadjusted analyses. Conclusions. These findings underline the importance of binge drinking as a public health issue for middle school adolescents.
Highlights
Purchasing and drinking alcohol while underage is illegal, 30% of eighth grade students have consumed alcohol [1]
In a US national study investigating the relationship between age of onset of alcohol consumption and long term alcohol abuse, 40% of those who identified themselves as alcohol dependent at some point in their lives reported initiating their first drink at the age of 14 or younger [3]
In comparison to those middle schoolers from households with income above $50,000, those from households with incomes under $30,000 had 69% higher odds of binge drinking in the unadjusted analyses and 92% higher odds in the fully adjusted logistic regression
Summary
Purchasing and drinking alcohol while underage is illegal, 30% of eighth grade students have consumed alcohol [1]. Of particular concern are the minority of middle schoolers who binge drink. Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more drinks on one occasion. One study suggests that 8% of seventh grade and 17% of eighth grade adolescents have engaged in binge drinking [2]. The binge drinking activities of older adolescents and the corresponding adverse effects have been well documented [5,6,7,8,9,10,11]. Less research has focused on factors associated with binge among younger adolescents, aged 12–14
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