College Binge Drinking Tied to Long-Term Health Issues
New research shows the consequences of binge drinking - a prime social activity on college campuses across the U.S. - are more than just a stubborn hangover.
A study of college students by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago showed regular binge drinking leads to changes in the circulatory system that eventually lead to cardiovascular disease later in life.
The study compared two groups of students - one group of abstainers, another group of binge drinkers, defined as students who drink five or more beverages in a two-hour period. Medical evaluations showed college-level binge drinkers may have early signs of hardened arteries and had body conditions paralleling those of lifelong alcoholics.
"Binge drinking is neurotoxic and our data support that there may be serious cardiovascular consequences in young adults," said Shane A. Phillips, PT, PhD, senior author and a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
"Regular binge drinking is one of the most serious public health problems confronting our college campuses," added Phillips, whose study is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
As a group, college students age 18 to 25 have the highest rates of binge drinking, with more than half admitting to regular binge drinking.
Previous studies have documented the effects of binge drinking on adults aged 40 to 60, including heightened risk for stroke, sudden cardiac death and heart attacks, but the study by the University of Illinois at Chicago researchers marks one of the first such studies on young adults.
