Abstract
Background | Sport is generally associated with healthy lifestyles, nevertheless drinking among athletes and students of sport schools is relatively common. Objectives | To explore alcohol use among students at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport of Charles University and its association with sport and physical activity.
Methods | Cross-sectional questionnaire survey. The questionnaire consisted of standard alcohol-related questions from the ESPAD and the CAGE and ASC screens.
A descriptive analysis was conducted in subgroups of non-athletes, and athletes of individual and team sports. Sample | All the students in the academic programmes of Physical Education and Sport and Physiotherapy were invited to participate.
The final sample consisted of 317 students; the response rate was 62%. Results | Heavy episodic drinking with a frequency of more than once per month was reported by 42% of the students (49% males, 35% females).
Problem drinking with potential negative health and social consequences was reported by 61% of the students, and 30% reported high-risk consumption. Male athletes involved in team sports reported higher rates of alcohol consumption and risky drinking in comparison with male individual athletes, whereas no difference was observed among females in this respect.
Conclusions | Considerable alcohol consumption including heavy episodic drinking was found among students of physical education and sport. Participation in sports, active physical activities, or preparation for a future occupation in sports did not prove to be a protective factor of alcohol use.