Does Alcohol Advertising Effect Young People’s Alcohol Consumption? – A Systematic Review.

Aim: To explore the claim that alcohol advertising has an effect on young people’s levels of alcohol consumption. Methods: Studies were identified using a systematic search from September 2010 to December 2011. Wiley Interscience, Science Direct, Pubmed, Ovid Online and Google scholar were used to search studies that that were no older than 15years of age, participant age from 10 to 26years old and were of primary research design. Results: Six studies that followed up 9,750 young people between the ages of 10 and 26years old were reviewed. The studies measured and evaluated a range of different alcohol advertisement exposures, including that of social exposure. Ellickson et al, (2005), Collins et al, (2007), Gordon et al, (2010) and Morgenstern et al, (2011) all concluded that there was a positive link between alcohol exposure and alcohol consumption in young people. Snyder et al, (2006) concluded that a greater advertising expenditure per capita in a region resulted in greater alcohol consumption in young people compared to that of an area of low advertising expenditure per capita. Gunter et al, (2009), concluded that there was no link between alcohol exposure and drinking consumption in young people. Discussion: Results indicate that alcohol advertising has an effect on young people’s alcohol consumption. However it was also found that social influences also have a strong positive relationship with alcohol consumption in young people. Conclusion: Data from indentified 5 of the 6 studies suggest that alcohol advertising has an effect on young people’s levels of alcohol consumption. Recommendation would include banning alcohol advertising on all media outlets that cannot be controlled by a watershed