@article{ref1,
title="Alcopops, alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems in a sample of German adolescents: Is there an alcopop-specific effect?",
journal="Drug and alcohol dependence",
year="2010",
author="Kraus, Ludwig and Metzner, Cornelia and Piontek, Daniela",
volume="110",
number="1-2",
pages="15-20",
abstract="AIMS: The objective of the present analysis was to investigate the impact of alcopops (a sweet alcohol-containing drink that tastes much like a non-alcoholic soft drink) on drinking behaviour and alcohol-related negative consequences by controlling for alcohol consumption and the share of alcopops in total ethanol intake. METHODS: Data from the 2003 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD) in Germany were used. The final dataset comprised students aged 15-17 years who reported to have drunk alcohol in the past 7 days (n=5509). MEASUREMENTS: Alcohol consumption was assessed by beverage-specific quantity measures for the last 7 days. Individuals were categorised into &quot;non-alcopop&quot; and &quot;alcopop consumers&quot;; according to the share in total ethanol intake, alcopop users were further divided into &quot;only-alcopop&quot;, &quot;mix-alcopop&quot; and &quot;mix-consumers&quot;. Analogous groups were constructed for the other beverages. Outcome measures were age of first alcohol use and drunkenness, frequency of drinking, binge drinking and drunkenness and alcohol-related problems. Hypotheses were tested using proportional hazard models, linear and logistic regressions. FINDINGS: Controlling for overall volume few differences in consumption and problem measures were found when alcopop and non-alcopop users were compared. Further differentiation of the alcopop group also revealed only few differences. Similar associations were found for the other beverages. Only-alcopop and only-wine drinking was associated with less risky consumption patterns and negative consequences. CONCLUSIONS: An alcopop-specific effect on problematic drinking behaviour and negative consequences could not be identified. Concerted preventive actions tackling alcohol as a whole are needed in order to gain substantial effects on alcohol use and alcohol-related problems in adolescents.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0376-8716",
doi="10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.01.020",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.01.020"
}