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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Preventive Medicine Reports

Sports team participation and alcohol-related behaviors among United States high school students: Outcome-specific associations and temporal change, 2011–2023

  • Linlin Zhao1
  • Hao Sun2
  • Weijun Liu1
  1. 1School of Competitive Sports, Beijing Sport University, 48 Xinxi Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
  2. 2School of Sports Training, Wuhan Sports University, No. 461 Luoyu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, China
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Abstract

Objective: Sports team participation is associated with both beneficial and harmful health behaviors, but whether its association with adolescent alcohol use has changed as alcohol use has declined is unclear.

Methods: We analyzed nationally representative Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from 110,409 United States students in grades 9–12 (2011–2023). Survey-weighted logistic regression and marginal standardization estimated adjusted associations and prevalence by participation status. Models adjusted for sex, grade, race and ethnicity, and survey year. The primary binge-drinking analysis covered 2019–2023.

Results: Overall current alcohol use declined from 38.72% in 2011 to 22.10% in 2023. Adjusted prevalence declined from 37.86% to 19.20% among nonparticipants and from 39.40% to 25.52% among participants; the gap increased from 1.54 to 6.32 percentage points. Temporal patterns were nonmonotonic, with weaker omnibus evidence on the absolute than relative scales. Participation was associated with higher odds of current alcohol use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20, 1.33) and binge drinking (aOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.44, 1.79).

Conclusions: Sports team participation was associated with current alcohol use and binge drinking. Sports settings may be useful contexts for alcohol prevention without characterizing sports participation as uniformly harmful or protective.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{zhao2026sports,
  title = {{Sports team participation and alcohol-related behaviors among United States high school students: Outcome-specific associations and temporal change, 2011–2023}},
  author = {Linlin Zhao and Hao Sun and Weijun Liu},
  journal = {Preventive Medicine Reports},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103675},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103675},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Sports team participation and alcohol-related behaviors among United States high school students: Outcome-specific associations and temporal change, 2011–2023
AU  - Linlin Zhao
AU  - Hao Sun
AU  - Weijun Liu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/21
JO  - Preventive Medicine Reports
DO  - 10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103675
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103675
AB  - Objective: Sports team participation is associated with both beneficial and harmful health behaviors, but whether its association with adolescent alcohol use has changed as alcohol use has declined is unclear.  Methods: We analyzed nationally representative Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from 110,409 United States students in grades 9–12 (2011–2023). Survey-weighted logistic regression and marginal standardization estimated adjusted associations and prevalence by participation status. Models adjusted for sex, grade, race and ethnicity, and survey year. The primary binge-drinking analysis covered 2019–2023.  Results: Overall current alcohol use declined from 38.72% in 2011 to 22.10% in 2023. Adjusted prevalence declined from 37.86% to 19.20% among nonparticipants and from 39.40% to 25.52% among participants; the gap increased from 1.54 to 6.32 percentage points. Temporal patterns were nonmonotonic, with weaker omnibus evidence on the absolute than relative scales. Participation was associated with higher odds of current alcohol use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20, 1.33) and binge drinking (aOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.44, 1.79).  Conclusions: Sports team participation was associated with current alcohol use and binge drinking. Sports settings may be useful contexts for alcohol prevention without characterizing sports participation as uniformly harmful or protective.
SN  - 2211-3355
ER  -