Shelved plans to ban alcohol sports sponsorship in Ireland are under the spotlight after international research found a significant link between it and increased consumption, including among schoolchildren.
The research, published in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism, says the association between such sponsorship and alcohol use among minors “warranted close attention from public health policymakers”.
Given the lack of Irish research on the matter, it will be of interest to health experts and departmental officials here.
The research reviewed studies in seven countries, including five in the EU.
“All studies report positive associations between exposure to alcohol sports sponsorship and self-reported alcohol consumption,” states the report.
“Two studies found indirect exposure to alcohol sports sponsorship was associated with increased levels of drinking amongst schoolchildren, and five studies found a positive association between direct alcohol sports sponsorship and hazardous drinking amongst adult sports-people.”
It says the relationship between sponsorship and drinking among children “will concern policymakers”.
The research, conducted by the London-based Institute of Alcohol Studies, states that the statistical significance of the impact varied between the nine reports.
One 2012 study among 6,650 young students in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland found that “exposure to branded sports sponsorship increased the odds of drinking”.
Source: Cormac O'Keeffe, Irish Examiner, 01/03/16
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