Alcohol consumption and binge drinking among university students: findings from two large surveys in France, 2012-13

International audienceBackgroundHigh alcohol consumption, binge drinking (BD) and associated behavioural risk are an increasingly documented health concerns in many European countries. Associated factors to BD remain to be explored. The aim of the study was to identify prevalence and factors associated with the regular BD in student population in two French Universities.MethodsStudents from Littoral and Cote d’Opale University (ULCO) and Rouen University (RU) completed an standardized anonymous self-questionnaire, which collected a large sample of data, including age, gender, curricula, modalities of alcohol consumption, binge drinking episodes, drunkenness and other addictions (tobacco, cannabis).ResultsA total of 2,687 students were included: 1,873 in RU and 814 in ULCO. The mean age was 21.1 years. In ULCO, 42.6% of students (62.0% in men, 33.1% in women, p < 104) and in 31.0% in RU (31.0% in men, 8.6% in women, p < 10-4) reported at least one BD episode in the last month. In men and women respectively, 25.0% and 6.0% (p < 104) in ULCO and 33.2% and 10.8% in RU (p < 104) reported 10 drunkenness and more in the last 12 months. In multivariate analysis, regular BD was significantly associated with man gender, age, smoking and cannabis consumption in the two surveys.Conclusion: Prevalence of regular BD was frequent among French university students, especially in male students. BD is not an isolated behaviour and is associated with other risk comportments. These findings stress the need to develop more investigations on this topic in student population, to have a better understanding of BD mechanisms and to develop public health interventional models.Key messagesOur study shows a very high and dramatic prevalence of BD in university students. Male genders as well as women gender in ULCO were the main risk factors for drinking abuse problems.These findings have broad implications for prevention and intervention efforts with this population