Study links sporting events and drunkenness

By Staff Writer

Many social events in high school revolve around athletic events, such as football, basketball or baseball games. Some problem teens choose to drink at these gatherings because, unlike school or home, many adolescents are not strictly supervised at these locations.

A recent study, which was published in the online journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, examines the association between drinking and sporting events. Researchers found that almost 8 percent of fans who attend professional athletic events leave the stadiums legally drunk.

The group tested the blood alcohol content (BAC) levels of 362 adults who were leaving 13 professional baseball games and three football games. They found that about 40 percent of the participants had a positive BAC, which means that they had consumed alcohol, while about 8 percent were above the 0.08 BAC level.

Darin Erickson of the University of Minnesota, the study's lead author, said that the results were alarming because many drunken individuals drive their cars following sporting events. Furthermore, the researchers concluded that an average of about 5,000 fans leave on National Football League game legally drunk, with many of them getting behind the wheel.

Adults who get drunk at sporting events may be sending the wrong message to adolescents that alcohol is needed at these games in order to have fun.

Problem teens who abuse alcohol may benefit from tough love. Parents may consider not allowing their children to attend school-sanctioned events if they engage in unhealthy or addictive behaviors.