Alcohol Marketing Awareness Related to "Higher Risk" Consumption Among British Teens

A Medium to High Awareness of Alcohol Marketing Among British Teens is Linked to Increased Consumption and Increased Probability of "Higher Risk" Consumption Among Current Drinkers, According to a Major Observation Study published in the online journal BMJ Open.

And the brand's brand-name merchandise property is tied to future intentions ("susceptibility") of trying alcohol among the ever-drinking, according to the results.

"360-degree" marketing strategies have created a series of ways to expose youth to alcohol marketing, and it may be time to consider how to reduce this level of exposure now, suggest the researchers.

They wanted to know if there was a link between the marketing of alcohol and the drinking habits / intentions of a representative sample of British teenagers.

They drew on the information provided by 3,399 young people aged 11 to 19 who responded to the 2017 survey of youth alcohol policies. Three quarters (76%) were under the age of 18, the legal age to buy alcohol. Most lived in England with their parents or other family members and followed a form of education.

Teens were asked how often they had seen alcohol marketing in recent weeks in nine different channels: billboards, television, magazines, social media, sports sponsorship or events.

Their responses for each of the nine channels were scored from 1 to 6, where 1 is equal to every day and 6 to last month. The scores were used to approximate the total marketing awareness of the previous month.

Teens were also asked if they had products containing branded alcohol. And they were asked how much and how often they drank alcohol. Their responses were categorized according to the Alcohol-Related Disorder Identification Test Consumption Test (AUDIT-C).

The opportunity to try alcohol has been clbadified as a lack of firm intention not to do so, in response to the following question: "Do you think you will drink from alcohol?" alcohol at any time during the next year? "

Responses showed that almost half of the weighted sample were current drinkers and that almost half of them (707; 44%) were clbadified as "higher risk" drinkers, with an AUDIT-C score of 5 or more.

At least half of the sample recalled 32 cases of alcohol marketing over the past month, with one in ten of the sample reporting daily or near-daily awareness of three of the nine marketing channels .

TV commercials, celebrity endorsements, and special offers were the most common sources of marketing awareness. More than a third of those surveyed said they noticed marketing through these channels at least once a week.

Awareness levels were ranked as 16 cases or less last month (35% of the sample); 17 to 53 cases (32%); and high-54 + (34%).

Of the people not having the legal age to buy alcohol, these proportions were 38%, 31% and 32% respectively.

After taking into account known factors of influence, medium and high levels of alcohol marketing awareness were badociated with a higher AUDIT-C score and a higher likelihood of risky drinking. higher.

Nearly one-fifth (17%) of the sample members reported owning branded goods. This was badociated with a higher AUDIT-C score among current drinkers, suggesting a higher frequency and higher volume.

Similarly, after accounting for factors known to influence alcohol consumption among young people, possession of branded products was also badociated with the future intention of trying alcohol in the next year, those who owned them were almost twice as likely as those who did not.

This is an observational study, and as such, can not establish the cause. The sample is likely to be only partially representative of young adults over the legal age to buy alcohol, the researchers note, plus measured marketing channels that are not exhaustive.

Nevertheless, they conclude: "The results point out that 360-degree marketing strategies have created multiple pathways for youth to be exposed or involved in the sale of alcohol, which is badociated with consumption and consumption at home. higher risk among current drinkers and susceptibility in never drinkers. "

They add: "A more in-depth review and badysis of the UK's self-regulatory approach and viable alternatives are needed to identify realistic, appropriate and effective ways of reducing exposure. young people to marketing activities ".

Provided by
British Medical Journal