TY - JOUR
T1 - College Students’ Underestimation of Blood Alcohol Concentration from Hypothetical Consumption of Supersized Alcopops
T2 - Results from a Cluster-Randomized Classroom Study
AU - Rossheim, Matthew E.
AU - Thombs, Dennis L.
AU - Krall, Jenna R.
AU - Jernigan, David H.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2018 by the Research Society on Alcoholism
PY - 2018/7
Y1 - 2018/7
N2 - Background: Supersized alcopops are a class of single-serving beverages popular among underage drinkers. These products contain large quantities of alcohol. This study examines the extent to which young adults recognize how intoxicated they would become from consuming these products. Methods: The study sample included 309 undergraduates who had consumed alcohol within the past year. Thirty-two sections of a college English course were randomized to 1 of 2 survey conditions, based on hypothetical consumption of supersized alcopops or beer of comparable liquid volume. Students were provided an empty can of 1 of the 2 beverages to help them answer the survey questions. Equation-calculated blood alcohol concentrations (BACs)—based on body weight and sex—were compared to the students’ self-estimated BACs for consuming 1, 2, and 3 cans of the beverage provided to them. Results: In adjusted regression models, students randomized to the supersized alcopop group greatly underestimated their BAC, whereas students randomized to the beer group overestimated it. The supersized alcopop group underestimated their BAC by 0.04 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.034, 0.053), 0.09 (95% CI: 0.067, 0.107), and 0.13 g/dl (95% CI: 0.097, 0.163) compared to the beer group. When asked how much alcohol they could consume before it would be unsafe to drive, students in the supersized alcopop group had 7 times the odds of estimating consumption that would generate a calculated BAC of at least 0.08 g/dl, compared to those making estimates based on beer consumption (95% CI: 3.734, 13.025). Conclusions: Students underestimated the intoxication they would experience from consuming supersized alcopops. Revised product warning labels are urgently needed to clearly identify the number of standard drinks contained in a supersized alcopop can. Moreover, regulations are needed to limit alcohol content of single-serving products.
AB - Background: Supersized alcopops are a class of single-serving beverages popular among underage drinkers. These products contain large quantities of alcohol. This study examines the extent to which young adults recognize how intoxicated they would become from consuming these products. Methods: The study sample included 309 undergraduates who had consumed alcohol within the past year. Thirty-two sections of a college English course were randomized to 1 of 2 survey conditions, based on hypothetical consumption of supersized alcopops or beer of comparable liquid volume. Students were provided an empty can of 1 of the 2 beverages to help them answer the survey questions. Equation-calculated blood alcohol concentrations (BACs)—based on body weight and sex—were compared to the students’ self-estimated BACs for consuming 1, 2, and 3 cans of the beverage provided to them. Results: In adjusted regression models, students randomized to the supersized alcopop group greatly underestimated their BAC, whereas students randomized to the beer group overestimated it. The supersized alcopop group underestimated their BAC by 0.04 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.034, 0.053), 0.09 (95% CI: 0.067, 0.107), and 0.13 g/dl (95% CI: 0.097, 0.163) compared to the beer group. When asked how much alcohol they could consume before it would be unsafe to drive, students in the supersized alcopop group had 7 times the odds of estimating consumption that would generate a calculated BAC of at least 0.08 g/dl, compared to those making estimates based on beer consumption (95% CI: 3.734, 13.025). Conclusions: Students underestimated the intoxication they would experience from consuming supersized alcopops. Revised product warning labels are urgently needed to clearly identify the number of standard drinks contained in a supersized alcopop can. Moreover, regulations are needed to limit alcohol content of single-serving products.
KW - Flavored Alcoholic Beverages
KW - Flavored Malt Beverages
KW - Four Loko
KW - Warning Labels
KW - Youth Drinking-Driving
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85047723640&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/acer.13764
DO - 10.1111/acer.13764
M3 - Article
C2 - 29846956
AN - SCOPUS:85047723640
SN - 0145-6008
VL - 42
SP - 1271
EP - 1280
JO - Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
JF - Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
IS - 7
ER -