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Background. Although the South African (SA) government has implemented alcohol control measures, alcohol consumption remains high. Objectives. To quantify the prevalence of self-reported current drinking and binge drinking in SA, and to determine important covariates. Methods. We used the 2014 - 2015 National Income Dynamics Study, a nationally representative dataset of just over 20 000 individuals aged ≥15 years. Multiple regression logit analyses were performed separately by gender for self-reported current drinkers (any amount), self-reported bingers as a proportion of drinkers, and self-reported bingers as a proportion of the total population. An individual was defined as a binge drinker if he/she reported consumption of ≥5 standard drinks on an average drinking day. Results. Current alcohol use (any amount) in 2014 - 2015 was reported by 33.1% of the population (47.7% males, 20.2% females). Of drinkers, 43.0% reported binge drinking (48.2% males, 32.4% females). The prevalence of self-reported binge drinking as a percentage of the total population was 14.1% (22.8% males, 6.4% females). Although black African males and females were less likely than white males and females to report drinking any amount, they were more likely to report binge drinking. Coloured (mixed race) females were more likely than black African females to report drinking any amount. Males and females who professed a religious affiliation were less likely than those who did not to report drinking any alcohol. The prevalence of self-reported binge drinking was highest among males and females aged 25 - 34 years. Smoking cigarettes substantially increased the likelihood of drinking any amount and of binge drinking for both genders. Conclusion. In SA, one in three individuals reported drinking alcohol, while one in seven reported binge drinking on an average day on which alcohol was consumed. Strong, evidence-based policies are needed to reduce the detrimental effects of alcohol use.

Introduction and Aims Efforts to reduce excessive alcohol consumption need to take into account drinkers' perceptions of their risk of alcohol-related harm. The aim of the present study was to profile adult Australian drinkers according to their self-identification with various drinker prototypes to determine the extent to which these prototypes are associated with perceived and actual risk of alcohol-related harm. Design and Methods A large web panel provider disseminated an online survey to a national sample of 2168 drinkers aged 18+ years who consumed alcohol at least twice per month. Respondents reported whether they considered themselves to be a light, occasional, social, heavy or binge drinker. The nominated category was compared with perceived and actual risk of alcohol-related harm. Results The prototype most commonly nominated by respondents was ‘social drinker’ (45%), and the least common was ‘binge drinker’ (7%). Although the heaviest drinkers in terms of actual reported consumption typically selected prototypes indicative of harmful consumption, many of those selecting prototypes indicative of moderate consumption were at risk of alcohol-related harm. Discussion and Conclusions Many adult drinkers may be unaware of their risk of alcohol-related harm. The results suggest that there may be a need to recalibrate Australian drinkers' perceptions of high-risk drinking. [Pettigrew S, Jongenelis MI, Pratt IS, Slevin T, Chikritzhs T. Drinkers' identification with varying alcohol consumption prototypes. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:464-467]

Previous research suggests that binge drinking among young men serves as a “costly signal” to potential mates, such that the binge drinker is capable of bearing the harmful consequences of alcohol consumption. Here, we propose that binge drinking among young adults is conditionally dependent upon the signaler’s willingness to take risks, which is influenced by the local operational sex ratio (OSR). Using archived binge drinking estimates from 2009 to 2012 and Census Bureau records of OSRs, we tested the relationship between OSR and binge drinking rates at the county level across 3,143 U.S. counties against hypotheses drawn from evolutionary theory. Results from our mixed-effects models revealed that a higher overall OSR (i.e., more eligible men compared to women) was associated with higher male binge drinking rates but lower female binge drinking rates. A higher OSR particularly in the 20–29 and 50+ age groups predicted higher male binge drinking rates but lower female binge drinking rates. Our findings generally support predictions derived from evolutionary theory and suggest that binge drinking may function as a costly sexual signal, conditionally regulated by age and the local sex ratio.

Introduction There has been a recent decrease in population level alcohol consumption in Australia, particularly in young people. Whether this is due to increasing abstinence or a shift in the way people think about alcohol is not known. The aim of this study is to investigate trends in self-identification of drinker types in Australia from 2001 to 2013 in light of shifting patterns of alcohol consumption in Australia. Methods Five waves of the National Drug Strategy Household Survey from 2001 to 2013 (N = 118,416) were used to assess trends in self-identification as a drinker type (non-, ex-, occasional, light, social, heavy and binge drinker). Consumption patterns and demographics of the self-identified groups were also examined. Results The pattern of self-identification has mostly remained steady over time. The two exceptions to this are a decrease in identification as a social drinker (28% to 22%) and a corresponding increase in identification as a non-drinker (from 19% to 27%). There are few changes over time in the demographic make-up of, or consumption patterns in, the social drinker category with the exception of those over 50, who continue to identify as social drinkers at the same rate. Conclusion The recent increase in abstinence in Australia seems to be matched by a corresponding decrease in self-identified social drinkers, particularly among those under 50. This indicates that the decrease in consumption is not occurring in those most likely to experience harms.

The objective for this study was to combine drinking characteristics and two subjective measures, drinker identity and alcohol-related quality of life, i.e., negative impact of alcohol on quality of life, to determine relevant profiles for indicated prevention programs. In particular, we hypothesized that different profiles of students with high level of alcohol consumption exist when exploring subjectivity. We performed an online survey among 16,930 students. We collected sociodemographics and environmental data, including alcohol-related quality of life, drinker identity, and drinking characteristics. We performed a hierarchical clustering on principal components. We described all variables in each cluster and explored between clusters differences by Kruskal–Wallis tests. We identified five clusters as regarding drinker identity, drinking characteristics, and alcohol-related quality of life. Among these five clusters, three clusters presented high drinking characteristics. A very vulnerable cluster showed high level of alcohol consumption, impact on quality of life and on academic results, and strong drinker identity. An egodystonic cluster showed high level of consumption, mild impact on quality of life and on academic results, but low drinker identity. A cluster seemed short-term super-adapted in heavy drinking environment, showing high level of alcohol consumption and drinker identity, but low impact on quality of life and on academic results (all between clusters p values

Two studies investigated undergraduates' knowledge of the UK government recommendations about binge drinking and sensible drinking, and also examined how labelling oneself as a binge drinker is associated with binge drinking perceptions. In Study 1, 325 undergraduates reported how many units constitute binge drinking, and labelled themselves as a 'binge drinker' or 'non-binge drinker'. Participants overestimated how many units constitute binge drinking relative to the UK government recommendations. Also, 59 labelled themselves as 'non-binge drinkers' and gave significantly higher estimates compared with 'binge drinkers'. In Study 2, 386 undergraduates defined binge drinking and reported how many units constitute sensible drinking. Only 13 of undergraduates defined binge drinking in terms of units of alcohol, and undergraduates overestimated how many units constitute sensible drinking. This research found wide variation in personal understanding of the term binge drinking and suggests a review of how to communicate recommendations about alcohol consumption to young people is needed.

On the basis of alcohol consumption rates, the authors segmented a sample of college students (N = 669) into four types: the non/seldom drinker (17%), the social drinker (43%), the typical binge drinker (25%), and the heavy binge drinker (14%). Once the four segments were defined, each was profiled employing a psychographic scheme that encompasses personal values, beliefs regarding drinking, alcohol shopping orientations, situational contingencies, and demographics. Binge drinkers were best differentiated from social drinkers and non/seldom drinkers by social-hedonic characteristics such as social-affiliation values, psychological consequences of drinking, recreational shopping orientations, and social situations. Binge drinkers were also differentiated by several other market/consumption relevant factors. On the other hand, several utilitarian characteristics, such as health/moral consciousness, differentiated non/seldom drinkers from other groups. Discussion and the implications of this study are presented with the goal of aiding binge drinkers themselves as well as prevention and intervention practitioners.