Effect of alcohol intake on muscle glycogen storage after prolonged exercise

We studied the effects of alcohol intake on postexercise muscle glycogen restoration with samples from vastus lateralis being collected immediately after glycogen-depleting cycling and after a set recovery period. Six well-trained cyclists undertook a study of 8-h recovery (2 meals), and another nine cyclists undertook a separate 24-h protocol (4 meals). In each study, subjects completed three trials in crossover order: control (C) diet [meals providing carbohydrate (CHO) of 1.75 g/kg]; alcohol-displacement (A) diet (1.5 g/kg alcohol displacing CHO energy from C) and alcohol + CHO (AC) diet (C + 1.5 g/kg alcohol). Alcohol intake reduced postmeal glycemia especially in A trial and 24-h study, although insulin responses were maintained. Alcohol intake increased serum triglycerides, particularly in the 24-h study and AC trial. Glycogen storage was decreased in A diets compared with C at 8 h (24.4 ± 7 vs. 44.6 ± 6 mmol/kg wet wt, means ± SE, P < 0.05) and 24 h (68 ± 5 vs. 82 ± 5 mmol/kg wet wt, P < 0.05). There was a trend to reduced glycogen storage with AC in 8 h (36.2 ± 8 mmol/kg wet wt, P = 0.1) but no difference in 24 h (85 ± 9 mmol/kg wet wt). We conclude that 1) the direct effect of alcohol on postexercise glycogen synthesis is unclear, and 2) the main effect of alcohol intake is indirect, by displacing CHO intake from optimal recovery nutrition practices.

Three dimensions of the male gender role as correlates of alcohol and cannabis involvement in young Australian men

This study examined 3 aspects of the male gender role and their relationship to alcohol and cannabis involvement in young adult Australian men (N = 160) aged between 18 and 25 years. Higher scores on the Restrictive Emotionality scale, which assessed gender ,role conflict, were found to relate to both alcohol-related problems and cannabis use. Higher scores on the Antifemininity scale, which assessed traditional attitudes toward men, were also found to be associated with alcohol-related problems. However, lower scores on another aspect of gender role conflict, Restrictive Affectionate Behavior Between Men, and lower scores on one aspect of traditional attitudes toward men, Status Rationality, correlated with higher frequency levels of alcohol and cannabis use.

Does the tendency to act impulsively underlie binge eating and alcohol use problems? An empirical investigation

The co-occurrence of problem drinking and binge eating and purging has been well documented. However, there has been relatively little investigation of etiological models that may influence the development of this  co-occurrence. This study tests the hypotheses that impulsivity is heightened in eating disordered women compared with controls, and that women with comorbid bulimia and alcohol use disorders show higher impulsivity than bulimic-only women. The Impulsivity scale, BIS/BAS scales, State Anxiety Inventory, and a behavioural measure of reward responsiveness (CARROT) were administered to 22 women with bulimia, 23 women with comorbid bulimia and alcohol abuse/dependence, and 21 control women. As hypothesised, eating disordered women scored higher than controls on several self-report measures of impulsivity and sorted cards faster during a financially rewarded trial on the behavioural task. Also, as predicted, comorbid women scored higher than bulimic women on the Impulsivity scale. These findings suggest that individual differences in impulsiveness and a tendency to approach rewarding stimuli may contribute to developing these disorders.

Reactivity to alcohol-related cues: relationship among cue type, motivational processes, and personality

This study examined the relationship between personality traits implicated in the drinking literature (i.e., sensation seeking and anxiety) and reactivity to 2 different alcohol cues. The opportunity to consume alcohol was manipulated, and differences in urge and affective reactivity were assessed. Gray’s (1987) model of impulsive sensation seeking and anxiety was adopted to investigate relationships between personality and responses to the appetitive (consumption) and aversive (no consumption, nonrewarding) alcohol cues in 40 regular social drinkers. The consumption cue produced increases in appetitive motivation and positive correlations with sensation-seeking traits. The no-consumption cue produced increases in aversive motivation and positive correlations with anxiety-related traits. It was concluded that Gray’s model of impulsive sensation seeking and anxiety may provide a useful framework for examining the personality correlates of cue reactivity to different cues.

Rural parents, teenagers and alcohol: what are parents thinking?

INTRODUCTION: The fundamental role of alcohol in the lives of young Australians is mirrored in the level of drinking by adolescents. In 2001, more than one in four Australian adolescents aged 14-19 years consumed alcohol weekly. Teenagers in rural areas are more likely to consume alcohol than their metropolitan counterparts. Parents are key 'gatekeepers' of adolescent behaviour and as such are a salient group to consider in relation to adolescent alcohol use. The aim of this study was to explore parents' attitudes, beliefs, concerns and receptiveness to harm minimisation strategies with respect to teenage use of alcohol.

METHODS: A convenience sample of parents with adolescent children attended a series of focus groups across the north and north-western area of the State of Victoria, Australia. Schools were approached to advertise the project and invite parents to participate. Snowball sampling was used to enhance recruitment.

RESULTS: Parents described patterns of alcohol use such as 'drinking to get drunk' and the influence of both parents and peers on the consumption of alcohol by adolescents. Few parents were concerned about the long-term risks of alcohol use by teenagers; rather they were more concerned about the short-term harms, for example, road trauma and other accidents and risky behaviours such as binge drinking. Parents indicated that they perceived alcohol to be less harmful than other drugs and many indicated that alcohol was often not perceived to be a drug. A number of strategies were adopted by parents to negotiate teenagers' drinking and to minimise the risks associated with alcohol use. These included transporting teenagers to parties, providing teenagers with a mobile phone, setting clear guidelines about alcohol use and/or providing teenagers with a small amount of alcohol. These were seen by parents as strategies for reducing the risks associated with alcohol consumption. Many parents reported that they do not feel well informed about alcohol use and how and when to use harm reduction strategies.

CONCLUSIONS: Rural parents are unsure how to respond to teenagers' alcohol use and drunkenness. While some parental strategies for harm reduction (such as supplying adolescents with a small amount of alcohol) may have good face validity in reducing alcohol consumption among adolescents, these strategies are not supported by previous research findings.

Prediction of alcohol-related harm from controlled drinking stragegies and alcohol consumption trajectories

Aims To establish predictors of age 21 alcohol-related harm from prior drinking patterns, current levels of alcohol consumption and use of controlled drinking strategies.
Participants One thousand, five hundred and ninety-six students recruited from an initial sample of 3300 during their final year of high school in 1993.
Design Longitudinal follow-up across five waves of data collection.
Setting Post high school in Victoria, Australia.
Measurements Self-administered surveys examining a range of health behaviours, including alcohol consumption patterns and related behaviour.
Findings Drinking behaviours at age 21 were found to be strongly predicted by drinking trajectories established through the transition from high school. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that alcohol-related harms at age 21 were reduced where current levels of alcohol use fell within limits recommended in Australian national guidelines. After controlling for this effect it was found that the range of strategies employed by participants to control alcohol use maintained a small protective influence. Post-high-school drinking trajectories continued to demonstrate a significant effect after controlling for current behaviours. Findings revealed that over one quarter of males and females drank alcohol, but on a less-than-weekly basis. This pattern of alcohol use demonstrated considerable stability through the post-school transition and was associated with a low level of subsequent harm at age 21.
Conclusions Future research should investigate whether encouraging more Australian adolescents to drink alcohol on a less-than-weekly basis may be a practical intervention target for reducing alcohol-related harms.

Youth alcohol and other drug use in the United States and Australia: a cross-national comparison of three state-wide samples

Although youth drug and alcohol harm minimization policies in Australia are often contrasted with the abstinence and zero tolerance policies adopted in the United States, there has been little research directly comparing youth substance use behaviour in the two countries. Three state representative samples in Victoria, Australia (n = 7898) and in the US states of Oregon (n = 15 224) and Maine (n = 16 245) completed a common cross-sectional student survey. Rates of alcohol use (lifetime alcohol use, recent use in the past 30 days), alcohol use exceeding recommended consumption limits (binge drinking: five or more drinks in a session), other licit drug use (tobacco use), and norm-violating substance use (substance use at school, use in the past 30 days of marijuana or other illicit drug use) were compared for males and females at ages 12-17. Rates were lower (odds ratios 0.5-0.8) for youth in Maine and Oregon compared to Victoria for lifetime and recent alcohol use, binge drinking and daily cigarette smoking. However, rates of recent marijuana use and recent use of other illicit drugs were higher in Maine and Oregon, as were reports of being drunk or high at school. In contradiction of harm minimization objectives, Victoria, relative to the US states of Oregon and Maine, demonstrated higher rates of alcohol use exceeding recommended consumption limits and daily tobacco use. However, findings suggested that aspects of norm-violating substance use (substance use at school, marijuana use and other illicit drug use) were higher in the US states compared to Victoria.

Adolescent alcohol-use trajectories in the transition from high school

A cohort of 3300 students from high schools across Victoria, Australia, were surveyed regarding their patterns of alcohol consumption from mid-1993 to 1995. The first wave of data was collected halfway through the students' final year of school (year 12). Students were then resurveyed 3 months following school completion and on two subsequent occasions, each separated by 6-month intervals. Analysis of the four waves of data indicated that five longitudinal patterns (trajectories) characterized temporal trends in male and female alcohol use through the transition from high school. Stable non-use trajectories were evident for 17% of males and 16% of females. Trajectories of less than weekly use characterized 45% of females and 46% of males, and showed little tendency to escalate toward harmful use. Among those using alcohol on a weekly or more frequent basis in high school, with few exceptions, use continued with at least the same frequency, but the quantity of alcohol consumed tended to escalate over time toward harmful levels. Overall, findings indicate that patterns of alcohol use tend to be stable over time, and more frequent alcohol use during the final year of high school tends to precede potentially harmful alcohol use following high school. Encouraging those high school students who consume alcohol once per week or more often to use alcohol on a less than weekly basis may be a valuable yet neglected harm minimization strategy.

The influence of sensitivity to reward on reactivity to alcohol-related cues

Aims. To investigate the role of sensitivity to reward in mediating social drinkers' reactivity to alcohol cues. Design. A standard cue-reactivity paradigm was employed. Two groups of social drinkers (heavy and ight) were assessed after exposure to the sight, smell and taste of a neutral cue (water) and then an alcohol cue (glass of beer). Setting. Sessions were conducted in a laboratory based environment. Participants. Twenty heavy (12 males, eight females) and 18 light social drinkers (seven males, 11 females) were recruited; mean age was 23.6 years. Measurements. The Card Arranging Reward Responsivity Objective Test (CARROT), assessing behavioural responsiveness to a monetary incentive; urge to drink; positive affect; and the BAS scales, assessing sensitivity to reward. Findings. Heavy drinkers displayed a significant increase in responsivity to rewards (i.e. CARROT) and self-reported urge to drink, bur not positive affect, after exposure to alcohol. For the heavy drinkers, heightened sensitivity to reward (i.e. BAS scales) was significantly related to cue-elicited urge to drink and positive affect. Conclusion. The results are consistent with a conditioned appetitive motivational model of alcohol use and suggest that Gray's theory of personality may be of some benefit in explaining variation in reactivity responses.

Prediction of alcohol-related harm from controlled drinking strategies and alcohol consumption trajectories

Aims To establish predictors of age 21 alcohol-related harm from prior drinking patterns, current levels of alcohol consumption and use of controlled drinking strategies.

Participants One thousand, five hundred and ninety-six students recruited from an initial sample of 3300 during their final year of high school in 1993.

Design Longitudinal follow-up across five waves of data collection.

Setting Post high school in Victoria, Australia.

Measurements Self-administered surveys examining a range of health behaviours, including alcohol consumption patterns and related behaviour.

Findings Drinking behaviours at age 21 were found to be strongly predicted by drinking trajectories established through the transition from high school. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that alcohol-related harms at age 21 were reduced where current levels of alcohol use fell within limits recommended in Australian national guidelines. After controlling for this effect it was found that the range of strategies employed by participants to control alcohol use maintained a small protective influence. Post-high-school drinking trajectories continued to demonstrate a significant effect after controlling for current behaviours. Findings revealed that over one quarter of males and females drank alcohol, but on a less-than-weekly basis. This pattern of alcohol use demonstrated considerable stability through the post-school transition and was associated with a low level of subsequent harm at age 21.

Conclusions Future research should investigate whether encouraging more Australian adolescents to drink alcohol on a less-than-weekly basis may be a practical intervention target for reducing alcohol-related harms.

The relationship between social anxiety and alcohol use in remand prisoners

Community studies have found a consistently high co-occurrence, between alcohol use and anxiety disorders, such as social phobia. Despite high prevalence rates of alcohol use and anxiety disorders in remand prisoners, the extent to which they co-occur in this population and the use of alcohol as a strategy to reduce social anxiety, have not been examined. The aim of this study was to assess levels of social phobia and the use of alcohol to reduce anxiety associated with social and performance situations in a remanded prison population. One hundred and one male prisoners (age M = 34.88 years, SD = 11.70) participated in the study. They completed the Social Phobia Inventory (SoPhI) and a questionnaire designed to assess levels of drinking in social and performance situations to reduce anxiety. High levels of social anxiety were found, together with high levels of drinking to reduce anxiety associated with social or performance situations. Drinking was predictive of reduced levels of social anxiety but the effect of social anxiety on drinking was stronger. The implications for treatment and future research are discussed.

Family, school, peer and individual influences on early adolescent alcohol use: first-year impact of the Resilient Families programme

Introduction and Aims:  This study aimed to examine: (a) the influence of family factors relative to school, peer and individual influences on the development of adolescent alcohol use during the first year of secondary school; and (b) the feasibility of preventing adolescent alcohol use by modifying family factors. Design and Methods:  Twenty-four schools in Melbourne, Australia were randomly assigned to either the 'Resilient Families' intervention or a control condition. A baseline cohort of 2315 grade 7 students (mean age 12.3 years) were followed-up one year later (n = 2128 for longitudinal analyses). A sub-set of parents (n = 1166) also returned baseline surveys. Results: The prevalence of lifetime alcohol use in year 7 was 33% and rose to 47% by year 8. Student-reported predictors of year 8 alcohol use included baseline alcohol [Odds Ratio (OR) 3.64] and tobacco use (2.68), and school friend's alcohol (1.41) and tobacco use (1.64). After adjusting for other influences, student-reported family factors were not maintained as significant predictors of year 8 alcohol use. Parent-report predictors of student-reported alcohol use included allowing alcohol use in the home (2.55), parental alcohol use (1.88) and child hyperactivity (1.85). Protective factors included attendance at brief parent education (0.60) and parent involvement in school education (0.65). Discussion and Conclusions: The intervention appeared to benefit education-related outcomes, but no overall effect in reducing student alcohol use was found in year 8. Intervention effects on alcohol misuse may become significant in later secondary school once the entire program has been implemented. Considerable alcohol use was detected in early secondary school,   suggesting that interventions to reduce alcohol use may be usefully implemented prior to this period.

Estimated alcohol-caused deaths in Australia, 1990-97

The purpose of the study was to provide updated estimates of alcohol-caused mortality rates in Australia between 1990 and 1997, making adjustments for changes in the prevalence of high-risk alcohol use estimated on the basis of per capita alcohol consumption (PCAC). Deaths wholly and partially attributable to high-risk alcohol consumption were extracted from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Mortality Datafile (1990-1997) and multiplied by specific aetiologicalfractions, which in turn were adjusted by changes in the prevalence of high-risk alcohol use estimated on the basis of annual changes in PCAC. The yearly trends in age-standardized rates of estimated alcohol-caused deaths were compared with those using (i) aetiological fractions unadjusted for changes in PCAC, and (ii) wholly alcohol-caused conditions only (thus requiring no application of aetiological fractions). The age-standardized rates of all alcohol-caused deaths among males aged 15 + years declined from 1990 (4.01110000) to 1993 (3.19/10000) and decreased far more slowly up to 1997 (3.15/10000)-16% overall. For females, these rates declined steadily from 1990 (1.75/10000) to 1997 (1.33/10000)-19% overall. Similar patterns in time trends were noted for estimated alcohol-caused death rates calculated as in (i) and (ii). However, the proportional decreases in rates (21.6%for males; 24. O%for females) would have been underestimated by 16% (males) and 19% (females) if the alcohol aetiological fractions had not been adjusted to take account of the estimated annual changes in the prevalence of high-risk drinking. The declines in estimated alcohol-caused death rates were more pronounced than the 9% decline in PCAC, and were due mainly to decreasing death rates for stroke (men and women), alcoholic liver cirrhosis and road injuries (men only). When aetiological fractions are used to measure temporal trends in estimated alcohol-caused death rates from official mortality statistics, they should account for annual changes in the prevalence of high-risk drinking. Such changes in prevalence can be deduced from yearly fluctuations in PCAC.

"As long as it doesn't spill over into class": harms arising from students` alcohol use, and the role of policy in reducing them

While there is considerable evidence about the prevalence of student alcohol use, little empirical work has examined the range and level of exposure to alcohol-related risks facing student populations, and the views of key stakeholders about these. This study was conducted at a large multi-campus university in order to gauge the scale and severity of students’ alcohol-related problems, and ways in which these may be mitigated. Student perspectives on campus based policy making with respect to alcohol were also canvassed. This study utilised a range of evaluative instruments, including standardised questionnaire protocols, structured interviews and focus groups. Data gained from students showed a large level of exposure to alcohol-related harm, and staff informants reported student harms such as drink-driving, interpersonal aggression, social nuisance, inadequate security, sexually risky behaviour, and physical malaise. As a group, students seem receptive to campus-based policies that have a harm reduction focus, but are less supportive of institutionalised measures aimed at the student body. Given the divergence of views about the harms arising from student drinking, and a general repudiation of institutional policy measures which may lessen these, the development of harm-reducing policy on alcohol remains challenging.

The effects of the opioid pharmacotherapies methadone, LAAM and buprenorphine, alone and in combination with alcohol, on simulated driving

While methadone is currently the primary pharmacotherapy used in the treatment of heroin dependence in Australia, levo-alpha-acetyl-methodol (LAAM) and buprenorphine are new pharmacotherapies that are being examined as alternatives to methadone maintenance treatment. The aim of this research is to consider the effects of the methadone, buprenorphine and LAAM, as used in maintenance pharmacotherapy for heroin dependence, upon simulated driving. Clients stabilised in methadone, LAAM and buprenorphine treatment programs for 3 months, and a control group of non-drug-using participants, took part in this study which involved operating a driving simulator over a 75 min period.