Increase in alcohol consumption among teenagers during local festivities

Alcohol consumption among teenagers in La Garrotxa increases eightfold during these dates.

A study reveals that alcohol consumption among 18-year-old teenagers in La Garrotxa increases alarmingly during the Tura Festival in Olot, which this year takes place from 5 to 9 September. The research, conducted on a sample of 128 young people, indicates that in a normal week 60.2% admit to drinking some amount of alcohol, with an average of 2 standard drink units (SDU)1 per week. However, during the festivities, the prevalence of consumption rises to 85.2% with an average of 17.5 SDU/week.

This pattern is equivalent to multiplying the usual intake by eight and highlights the strong influence of the social and festive environment on the habits of young people. The authors of the article warn that this occasional escalation can have serious consequences on health and the development of addictions at a key stage of brain maturation.

The study also indicates that, although adolescents have knowledge about the harmful effects of alcohol, such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), this information does not translate into a decrease in consumption. The data show that social pressure and the festive context weigh more than awareness of the long-term risks. In this regard, a year ago an awareness campaign was carried out on the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and its consequences for childhood health, even in small quantities and when the pregnant woman does not yet know that she is pregnant.

This study was the result of a High School Research Project (TdR) by the now doctor and winner of the first prize in the field of health sciences of the VII Jordi Pujiula Awards, Aina Foguet. These data were used to analyze in depth some of the possible predictors and provide a picture of the consumption of the most popular drug in our environment, in this case with adolescents who have the legal recognition to consume it. In this sense, we must highlight the research work in the field of health of high school students and we encourage them to continue their research projects in collaboration with the professionals of the Foundation.

The article on the study has been published in the Revista Pediatria Catalana and can be consulted here.

What are SDU?

Standard drink units (SDUs) are a measure used to quantify alcohol consumption. In Spain, one SDU is equivalent to approximately 10 grams of pure alcohol, which corresponds, for example, to a 200ml beer can, a 100ml small glass of wine or a 30ml shot of liquor. This system allows for objective comparisons of consumption patterns and stratification of health risks.