Study: Milestone binge drinking forms bad habits

Binge drinking to celebrate a milestone occasion such as a 21st birthday can serve as a “gateway into subsequent heavy drinking” for months afterwards, a study has found.

Participants who drank more on their 21st birthday also reported “higher peak consumption” during the year

A study published in the journal Addictive Behaviours examined the impact of 21st birthday drinking on subsequent drinking and problems in 599 college students.

During the research, which was conducted by Washington University in Seattle, the participants were screened before and after each birthday, and then every 3 months for one year thereafter.

Researchers concluded that those who drank more on their 21st birthday also reported “higher peak consumption, increased likelihood of consequences, and increased number of consequences throughout the year”.
During the study’s follow-up period, those who drank heavily consumed, on average, 10% more than the typical participant on a night out – and this shot up by 17% among those who had been teetotallers before.

The study stated: “It may be that the experience of heavy drinking on the birthday serves as a gateway into subsequent heavy drinking among those who have not previously engaged in this behaviour.”