Health And Performance Effects Of Alcohol Use By...

What are the health and performance effects of alcohol use by intercollegiate / Varsity athletes? Alcohol is the most commonly used recreational drug globally and its consumption, often in large volume, is deeply embedded in many aspects of Western society . It is used by members of all societies in countries around the world, either consumed moderately or in excess. University is a place in one’s life when those who have just finished secondary school go to experience a higher quality of education. Some of these students enter university as student-athletes, playing sports such as varsity football or competing in swimming while attending classes and lectures. In this essay, risk and protective factors will be analyzed with regards to the†¦show more content†¦According to a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, athletes reported more binge drinking, heavier alcohol use, and a greater number of drinking-related harms. Along with these findings, researchers also found that despite athletes drinking heavier than non-athletes, student-athletes displa yed greater efforts in alcohol prevention and possessed unique motivations to curb their alcohol consumption. As mentioned before, student-athletes are consistently shown to be an at-risk population among university students. In a journal titled â€Å"Protective behavioural strategies and their relationship with negative alcohol consequences among college athletes†, student-athletes participate in greater alcohol consumption as well as experience more negative consequences of alcohol abuse. Within college populations, protective behavioural strategies have been shown to reduce the impact of alcohol-related negative consequences, however not much is known about protective behavioural strategies among the at-risk sub-population of student-athletes. According to this study, protective behavioural strategies did little to increase the distance from alcohol consumption and negative consequences. In conclusion, athletes display greater tendencies to binge drink and show higher n umbers of