Environmental correlates of underage alcohol use and related problems of college students

BACKGROUND: Underage alcohol use is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in adolescents and young adults. This study examined drinking levels and ensuing problems among college students and factors associated with binge drinking. METHOD: The Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study conducted a self-administered survey. The participants include a random sample of 7061 students aged <21 years (defined as underage drinkers), and 4989 between ages 21 and 23 in 1997 at 116 nationally representative 4-year colleges in 39 states. The outcomes of the study include self-reports of alcohol use, binge drinking (defined as five or more drinks in a row for men and four or more for women at least once in a 2-week period), alcohol-related problems, preferred type of drink, access to alcohol, and price paid per drink. RESULTS: Underage students drink less often but have more drinks per occasion, are more likely to drink in private settings (off-campus, dormitory, and fraternity parties), and pay less per drink than do of-age students. Correlates of underage binge drinking include residence in a fraternity or sorority (odds ratio [OR]=6.2), very easy access to alcohol (OR=3.3), obtaining drinks at lower prices (OR=2.1, for under $1 each or a set fee for unlimited drinks), and drinking beer (OR=9.5). CONCLUSIONS: Effective controls on price, access, and fraternity and off-campus parties, and reinforcing minimum drinking age laws are needed to reduce the high levels of binge drinking and related health and behavioral problems of underage students.     

Alcohol use beliefs and behaviors among high school students

Purpose: To identify specific alcohol use beliefs and behaviors among local high school students; to determine whether relationships exist between alcohol use and various sociodemographic and lifestyle behaviors; and to assist in the development and implementation of alcohol abuse prevention programs.Methods: This cross-sectional study involved the completion of a questionnaire by 1236 Grade 9–13 students (86% response rate) from 62 randomly selected classrooms in three Canadian urban schools. Data analyzed here are part of a larger lifestyle survey.Results: A total of 24% of students reported never having tasted alcohol, 22% have tasted alcohol but do not currently drink, 39% are current moderate drinkers, 11% are current heavy drinkers (five or more drinks on one occasion at least once a month), and 5% did not answer. Reasons stated most often for not drinking were “bad for health” and “upbringing,” while reasons stated most often for drinking were “enjoy it” and “to get in a party mood.” Student drinking patterns were significantly related to gender, ethnicity, grade, and the reported drinking habits of parents and friends. Older male adolescents who describe their ethnicity as Canadian are at higher risk for heavy drinking than students who are younger or female, or identify their ethnicity as European or Asian. Current heavy drinkers are at higher risk than other students for engaging in other high-risk behaviors such as drinking and driving, being a passenger in a car when the driver is intoxicated, and daily smoking.Conclusions: Heavy alcohol use in adolescents remains an important community health concern. Older self-described Canadian and Canadian-born male adolescents are at higher risk for heavy drinking. Current and heavy drinking rises significantly between Grades 9 and 12. Students who drink heavily are more likely to drink and drive, to smoke daily, and to have friends and parents who drink alcohol.     

北京市2014年高中生饮酒行为及其影响因素分析

了解北京市高中生饮酒相关行为现状及其影响因素,为预防青少年过早饮酒和过量饮酒提供依据.方法 2014年3-5月,采用分层整群随机抽样方法,抽取北京市18个区县的15 726名高中生进行健康危险行为自填问卷调查.结果 北京市高中生曾饮酒率为67.9%,13岁前饮酒率为35.2%,现在饮酒率为41.0%,过量饮酒率为16.6%.“与家人朋友喝”是北京市高中生饮酒的最主要原因.职业技术学校、男生、高二、母亲高中文化水平、重组家庭、人均月收入高和学习成绩差的高中生各项饮酒率均较高.有健康危险行为的高中生更容易出现饮酒相关行为,如有吸烟行为的学生更容易发生现在饮酒行为(OR=4.41,95%CI=3.90~4.98),有打架行为的学生更容易出现过量饮酒行为(OR=2.00,95%CI=1.77~2.26),有性行为的学生更容易出现13岁前饮酒行为(OR=1.58,95%CI=1.36~1.84),有尝试自杀行为的学生更容易出现过量饮酒行为(OR=1.67,95%CI=1.27~2.19).结论 在预防青少年饮酒相关行为时,应考虑年龄、家庭、性别等因素,并重视其他健康危险行为因素的影响,家庭和学校需尽早积极开展预防青少年饮酒行为的综合性健康教育.     

Alcohol involvement in Swedish University freshmen related to gender, age, serious relationship and family history of alcohol problems

AIM: The primary aim of this study was to describe alcohol involvement in relation to gender and different age cohorts among freshmen at two Swedish universities. The secondary aim was to investigate whether the results were related to a likelihood of students being in serious relationships and/or had a first-degree relative with alcohol problems. METHODS: Two complete cohorts of university freshmen at two homogeneous universities were asked to participate in an intervention study, and the results of the basic assessments are presented in this article. The following instruments were used: the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the Estimated Blood Alcohol Concentration (eBAC) and a shortened version of the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ). RESULTS: A total of 2032 (72%) freshmen agreed to participate. The mean AUDIT score was 8.8 (+/-4.9) for men and 6.0 (+4.0) for women, and there were high correlations between the AUDIT and other instruments. There were significant differences between different age groups for both men and women. Both genders were more likely to have AUDIT scores higher than the usual cut-off levels for high-risk interventions among those with first-degree heredity of alcohol problems, while those students in serious relationships were less likely to have AUDIT scores above the usual cut-off levels for high-risk interventions. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals a high level of alcohol involvement among Swedish university freshmen. This is affected by age, gender, heredity of alcohol problems and serious relationships.     

Is the Consumption of Energy Drinks Associated With Academic Achievement Among College Students?

Despite widely reported side effects, use of energy drinks has increased among college students, who report that they consume energy drinks to help them complete schoolwork. However, little is known about the association between energy drink use and academic performance. We explored the relationship between energy drink consumption and current academic grade point average (GPA) among first-year undergraduate students. Participants included 844 first-year undergraduates (58.1 % female; 50.7 % White). Students reported their health behaviors via an online survey. We measured energy drink consumption with two measures: past month consumption by number of drinks usually consumed in 1 month and number consumed during the last occasion of consumption. We used multiple linear regression modeling with energy drink consumption and current GPA, controlling for gender, race, weekend and weekday sleep duration, perceived stress, perceived stress management, media use, and past month alcohol use. We found that past month energy drink consumption quantity by frequency (p < 0.001), and energy drinks consumed during the last occasion (p < 0.001), were associated with a lower GPA. Energy drinks consumed during the last occasion of consumption (p = 0.01) remained significantly associated with a lower GPA when controlling for alcohol use. While students report using energy drinks for school-related reasons, our findings suggest that greater energy drink consumption is associated with a lower GPA, even after controlling for potential confounding variables. Longitudinal research is needed that addresses whether GPA declines after continued use of energy drinks or if students struggling academically turn to energy drinks to manage their schoolwork.     

A survey of energy drink and alcohol mixed with energy drink consumption

Background

Energy drink consumption among youth is increasing despite recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics to eliminate consumption by youth. This study provides information on consumption of energy drinks and alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) in a sample of Israeli youth and how consumer knowledge about the risks affects consumption rates.

Methods

The study was conducted in three Tel Aviv public schools, with a total enrollment of 1,253 students in grades 8 through 12. Among them, 802 students completed a 49-item questionnaire about energy drink and AmED consumption, for a 64 % response rate Non-responders included 451 students who were absent or refused to participate. All students in the same school were administered the questionnaire on the same day.

Results

Energy drinks are popular among youth (84.2 % have ever drunk). More tenth through twelfth grade students consumed energy drinks than eighth and ninth grade students. Students who began drinking in elementary school (36.8 %) are at elevated risk for current energy drink (P?<?.001) and AmED (P?=?.002) use. Knowledge about amounts consumed and recommended allowances is associated with less consumption (OR 1.925; 95 %CI 1.18–3.14).

Discussion

The association between current AmED consumption and drinking ED at a young age is important. Boys and those who start drinking early have a greater risk of both ED and AmED consumption. The characteristics of early drinkers can help increase awareness of potential at-risk youth, such as junior and senior high school students with less educated or single parents.

Conclusions

Risks posed by early use on later energy drink and AmED consumption are concerning. We suggest that parents should limit accessibility. Increased knowledge about acceptable and actual amounts of caffeine in a single product might decrease consumption.

     

Correlates of University Students’ Soft and Energy Drink Consumption According to Gender and Residency

This study assessed personal and environmental correlates of Belgian university students’ soft and energy drink consumption and investigated whether these associations were moderated by gender or residency. Four hundred twenty-five university students completed a self-reported on-line questionnaire assessing socio-demographics, health status, soft and energy drink consumption, as well as personal and environmental factors related to soft and energy drink consumption. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Students believing soft drink intake should be minimized (individual subjective norm), finding it less difficult to avoid soft drinks (perceived behavioral control), being convinced they could avoid soft drinks in different situations (self-efficacy), having family and friends who rarely consume soft drinks (modelling), and having stricter family rules about soft drink intake were less likely to consume soft drinks. Students showing stronger behavioral control, having stricter family rules about energy drink intake, and reporting lower energy drink availability were less likely to consume energy drinks. Gender and residency moderated several associations between psychosocial constructs and consumption. Future research should investigate whether interventions focusing on the above personal and environmental correlates can indeed improve university students’ beverage choices.     

Intimate partner violence and substance abuse among minority women receiving care from an inner-city emergency department.

A woman's drug and alcohol use has been found to increase her risk of experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). OBJECTIVE: The study describes the rates of lifetime and current IPV among women awaiting care in an emergency department and explores the association between IPV and having a drug abuse problem, and IPV and having an alcohol abuse problem, after controlling for demographic factors and history of childhood victimization. METHODS: Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 143 low-level triaged women recruited from an inner-city emergency department. RESULTS: Nearly one-half reported ever experiencing IPV, and over 18% reported IPV during the year before the interview. A higher proportion of abused women reported a history of regular crack, cocaine, or heroin use and visiting shooting galleries or crack houses. Participants who were physically abused by their partner during the past year (15%, n = 21) were more likely than nonabused women (85%, n = 122) to report higher scores on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) (4.9 vs. 2.4), a measure of alcohol-related problems, and the Drug Abuse Severity Test (DAST) (3.0 vs. 1.3), a measure of drug-related problems. Sexually abused women (6%, n = 9) were more likely than their counterparts (94%, n = 134) to have significantly higher AUDIT scores (6.4 vs. 2.5). The findings have implications for how the intersecting public health problems of IPV and substance abuse should be taken into consideration in research and patient care protocols in emergency departments.     

Drinking pattern and mortality in Danish nurses

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Moderate alcohol consumption has beneficial effects on survival. Sex differences, however, have been suggested implying less beneficial effect among women. We examined the impact of alcohol consumed on weekdays and at weekends, respectively, on risk of death among women. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: At baseline in 1993, a total of 17 772 female members of the Danish Nurse Association completed questionnaires on alcohol intake and other lifestyle factors. The influence of alcohol intake on risk of death was analyzed using Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: Alcohol intake of 1-3 drinks per week was associated with the lowest risk of death. Intake above six drinks per weekend (Friday through Sunday) increased risk of death from all causes by 3% for each additional drink consumed per weekend (corresponding to an increased risk by 9% per drink per weekend day). Consumption of one or more drinks per weekday (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday) increased risk by 4% for each additional drink consumed per day. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated an increasing risk of death for intake above six drinks per weekend and of one or more drinks per weekday.     

Alcohol use among entrants to a Hong Kong University

AIM: This study of first year entrants to one of the major universities in Hong Kong describes the pattern of their alcohol consumption, their binge drinking, alcohol abuse, and dependence. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted. A representative sample of year 1 students 2630/2968 (89%) newly admitted to the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2003 were recruited to participate in a structured self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: First year university students in Hong Kong have low rates of ever drinking alcohol (62%), and the rates of binge drinking and alcohol-related problems were 7 and 0.8%, respectively. The pattern of binge drinking is more common than weekly drinking (2.3%). Binge drinkers are more likely to have experienced alcohol-related interpersonal problems or (95% CI) = 6.5 (1.7-24.5). Males were more likely to drink, to binge drink, and to drink frequently. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast with students in the west, the majority of first year university students in Hong Kong are not binge or regular drinkers. However, there is a subgroup who smoke, drink more, and use alcohol as a means of coping with stress. This group may be particularly in need of a brief intervention, such as providing counseling and referral services.     

On the potential health effects of consuming "non-alcoholic" or "de-alcoholized" beverages

This paper reviews the potential health risks for persons who consume the newly available "non-alcoholic" or "de-alcoholized" beverages which may contain trace amounts of ethanol (less than 0.5% by volume). The discussion includes relative risk rates for chemical dependency, fetal alcohol syndrome, chemical and natural hypersensitivity, cancer, cardiomyopathy, hypertension and cirrhosis for those who drink standard alcoholic drinks and "non-alcoholic" drinks. It is concluded that non-alcoholic drinks pose little risk for developing alcohol related problems based on our current physiological and psychocultural knowledge.     

Alcohol drinking, consumption patterns and breast cancer among Danish nurses: a cohort study

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of alcohol intake and drinking pattern on the risk of breast cancer. METHODS: A total of 17 647 nurses were followed from 1993 until the end of 2001. At baseline participants completed a questionnaire on alcohol intake and other lifestyle-related factors. Data were analysed using Cox's proportional hazard model. RESULTS: During follow-up 457 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. The relative risk of breast cancer was 2.30 [Confidence interval (CI): 1.56-3.39] for alcohol intake of 22-27 drinks per week, compared to 1-3 drinks per week. Among alcohol consumers, weekly alcohol intake increased the risk of breast cancer with 2% for each additional drink consumed. Weekend consumption increased the risk with 4% for each additional drink consumed friday through sunday. Binge drinking of 4-5 drinks the latest weekday increased risk with 55%, compared with consumption of one drink. A possible threshold in risk estimates was found for consumption above 27 drinks per week. CONCLUSIONS: For alcohol consumption above the intake most frequently reported, the risk of breast cancer is increased. The risk is minor for moderate levels but increases for each additional drink consumed during the week. Weekend consumption and binge drinking imply an additional increase in breast cancer risk.     

The use of audit to assess level of alcohol problems in rural Vietnam

AIMS: To assess the accuracy and performance of AUDIT in detecting alcohol problems, as defined by ICD-10 and DSM-IV, in a rural district in Vietnam. METHODS: The study was conducted in a rural district of Vietnam. Five hundred men and women aged 18-60 were randomly selected for interview with AUDIT and CIDI 2.1. The ICD-10 and DSM-IV criteria for harmful use/alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence were used to evaluate AUDIT. RESULTS: Due to few cases of alcohol problems observed among women (1/282), we could only evaluate the validity of AUDIT in men. At cut-off point 7/8, AUDIT had a sensitivity of 81.8% and a specificity of 76.1% for detecting at-risk drinking. At this cut-off point, using ICD-10 criteria, the sensitivity was 100% for harmful use and 93.8% for alcohol dependence; the specificity was 69.9% for harmful use and 87.4% for alcohol dependence. The area under the ROC curve was 0.91 (0.84-0.98) for harmful use and 0.84 (0.74-0.94) for alcohol dependence (ICD-10). The agreement between ICD-10 and DSM-IV was higher for diagnosing alcohol dependence than alcohol abuse (Kappa coefficient: 0.98 vs 0.68). CONCLUSION: We confirmed that AUDIT is feasible to use in a rural community in a developing country. Different cut-off points are appropriate for different purposes, but for general population screening of at-risk drinking we found a cut-off point 7/8 to be optimal.     

At-risk drinking among patients making routine primary care visits

BACKGROUND: Addressing non-alcoholic, at-risk patterns of alcohol consumption that are associated with increased morbidity and mortality is an important health care priority. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to describe the prevalence and characteristics of at-risk drinkers in a population-based sample of adults with routine primary care visits. Methods: Three thousand four hundred thirty-nine patients with advance appointments in 23 primary care practices completed a health survey prior to their visit. At-risk drinking was defined as consuming an average of two or more drinks per day (chronic drinking), or two or more occasions of consuming five or more drinks in the past month (binge drinking), or, in the past month, one or more occasion of driving after consuming three or more drinks (drinking and driving). RESULTS: Prevalence was: 11% at-risk drinking; 63% light to moderate drinking; 26% abstinence. Abstainers differed from alcohol users on demographics (older, fewer Caucasian, lower income, more unemployed), other health behaviors (less exercise, lower rates of smoking, and marijuana and cocaine use), and family history of alcohol problems (lower). Abstainers also reported poorer physical and psychological health. Compared to light to moderate drinkers, at-risk drinkers were more likely to be male, unmarried, and to use other substances (tobacco, marijuana, and cocaine). Among at-risk drinkers, those with two or more risk factors were more likely male, consumed more alcohol per week, had higher AUDIT scores and were more motivated to change their drinking. Among those with only one risk factor, binge drinkers reported high rates of tobacco and marijuana use, relatively poor perceived health, and the highest proportion of negative consequences from drinking. CONCLUSIONS: At least 1 in 10 patients making routine primary care visits have drinking practices that place them at risk for negative consequences from drinking. Three drinking patterns that can be used to define at-risk drinking are relatively distinct.     

Motivational intervention to reduce alcohol-exposed pregnancies--Florida,Texas, and Virginia, 1997-2001

Prenatal alcohol use is a threat to healthy pregnancy outcomes for many U.S. women. During 1999, approximately 500,000 pregnant women reported having one or more drinks during the preceding month, and approximately 130,000 reported having seven or more alcohol drinks per week or engaging in binge drinking (i.e., five or more drinks in a day). These heavier drinking patterns have been associated with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders (ARND). Lower levels of alcohol consumption (i.e., fewer than seven drinks per week) also have been associated with measurable effects on children's development and behavior. Although the majority of women reduce their alcohol use substantially when they realize they are pregnant, a large proportion do not realize they are pregnant until well into the first trimester and, therefore, might continue to drink alcohol during this critical period of fetal development. To reduce alcohol-exposed pregnancies, CDC initiated a multisite pilot study (phase I clinical trial) in 1997 to investigate the use of a dual intervention focused on both alcohol-use reduction and effective contraception among childbearing-aged women at high risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy (Project CHOICES). This report describes the association between baseline drinking measures and the success women have achieved in reducing their risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy. The analysis compares the impact of the motivational intervention at 6-month follow-up on women drinking at high-, medium-, and low-risk drinking levels. The findings indicate that although 69% of the women in the study reduced their risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy, women with the lowest baseline drinking measures achieved the highest rates of outcome success, primarily by choosing effective contraception and, secondarily, by reducing alcohol use. Women with higher baseline drinking measures chose both approaches equally but achieved lower success rates for reducing their risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy. A randomized controlled trial of the motivational intervention is under way to further investigate outcomes of the phase I study.     

Utility of the AUDIT for screening adolescents for problematic alcohol use in the emergency department

The emergency department is a setting conducive to screening adolescents for problematic alcohol use, who can then be targeted for further evaluation and intervention. This study examined the utility of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) as a screening measure for identifying young adolescents in an urban emergency department (ED). Adolescents (13-17 years old) who presented to the ED were screened as part of a larger study. A total of 859 adolescents, who denied alcohol use prior to their ED visit were administered the AUDIT. Of the 500 younger adolescents (13-15 years old), approximately 4% (n=22) were classified as AUDIT-positive using a cut-score of four or greater. Of the 359 older adolescents (16-17 years old), almost 19% (n=67) were classified as AUDIT-positive. The ability of shorter versions of the AUDIT to identify AUDIT-positive adolescents (as classified by the 10-item AUDIT using a cut-score of four or greater) was also explored. Since the adolescents in the current study were not alcohol-positive at the time of the ED visit, they would likely have been missed by biochemical alcohol screening alone. Screening procedures that employ the AUDIT may be most efficient when adapted for the specific adolescent age group (younger versus older), thus identifying the highest number of adolescents who should be targeted for intervention. Lowering the recommended adult cut-scores on the shorter versions of the AUDIT appears necessary to identify adolescents who may benefit from intervention or referral.     

Alcohol consumption and the risk of breast cancer: a report from the Tecumseh Community Health Study

The relationship between prior alcohol consumption and the risk of breast cancer was studied in 1954 women in the Tecumseh Community Health Study (TCHS) who entered the cohort in 1959-1960 and were followed potentially for 28 years. The mean alcohol consumption at baseline was 0.89 (SD 2.2) oz/week for premenopausal women and 0.85 (SD 2.2) oz/week for postmenopausal women. Only 25% of the cohort consumed more than 0.5 oz of ethanol/week or about 1.6 g/day. The adjusted relative risks (RRs) for breast cancer associated with the use of ethanol vs never drinking were 0.93 (95% CI, 0.40-2.18) for ex-drinkers, 1.08 (95% CI, 0.64-1.82) for 0- less than 1 drink/day, 1.23 (95% CI, 0.49-3.10) for 1- less than 2 drinks/day and 1.12 (95% CI, 0.25-5.01) for greater than or equal to 2 drinks/day. There were only 37 subjects in the group at the highest level of consumption (greater than or equal to 2 drinks/day). There was no significant interaction between alcohol and the period of onset of breast cancer (premenopausal or postmenopausal). In the TCHS, alcohol consumption generally at levels not exceeding 2 drinks/day, was not significantly associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Although we have found little excess risk associated with alcohol consumption, the wide confidence intervals summarized above are not inconsistent with previously published reports that have suggested a modest positive association.     

One-year drinking history and mortality

The one-year drinking history of 94 men was recorded by recurrent interviews (mean: 20 per person). The cohort was followed for 18.3 years; during that time, 13 men died. Cox's proportional hazards survival models including age and social class as confounders, indicated that mortality was significantly associated with total annual alcohol consumption, frequency of drinking, and frequency of intoxicating drinking. Estimates of risk of death for various consumption levels are presented: For having 10 drinks (each containing 12 grams of pure ethanol) a week vs one drink a week, the estimated relative risk of death (95% confidence limits in parentheses) was 2.3 (1.6-3.3). For being intoxicated once a week vs no intoxications at all during one year the respective risk was 2.1 (1.3-3.1). The risk estimates for the frequency of intoxication were found to be higher than those in an earlier study using single interview data on drinking. This suggests that more accurate measurement of alcohol consumption may yield higher risk of death estimates than found in studies based on single interview data on alcohol.     

Unwanted sexual experiences among middle and high school youth.

Of the 1197 middle and high schoo students who participated anonymously in a health survey, 15% reported they had had a past unwanted sexual experience. Females were more likely than males and older students more likely than younger students to have had such experiences, which were categorized into six types: force/rape, child abuse, influence of drugs/alcohol, partner pressure, regret, and peer pressure. Male students tended to report peer pressure and regret more often than females, who tended to report forced situations and child abuse. The genders were similar, however, regarding partner pressure and the influence of drugs and alcohol. Students who reported having had an unwanted sexual experience were more likely to report current risk taking behaviors, school problems, and health problems that those who had not had such experiences. Students who had been physically forced were less likely to be currently sexually active and scored lower on a measure of current substance use than those who were not forced.     

Mental health among university students with eating disorders and irritable bowel syndrome in France

BackgroundUniversity students are subject to stress due to academic pressure, empowerment and transition from adolescence to adulthood. This young population may have a higher risk of functional disorders as eating disorders (ED) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Our objective was to determine the prevalence of ED, IBS and both and the associated behaviours.MethodsA cross sectional study was conducted in Rouen University (France). Participating students filled an anonymous self-questionnaire with items on socio-demographics, depression (Duke score), stress (Cohen score), emotional exhaustion (Maslach Inventory), insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index), cyberaddiction (Internet Addiction Test), ED (SCOFF-F test) and IBS (Rome III).ResultsThis study included 731 students (male/female ratio = 0.43). The prevalences of ED, IBS and co-existing ED-IBS were respectively 16.7%, 7.8% and 2.7%. ED and IBS were more common in female students. Depression, stress, emotional exhaustion, insomnia and cyberaddiction were significantly associated with ED and IBS or both. Students with ED had a higher risk of having IBS (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.30–4.51), and conversely students with IBS had a higher risk of having ED (AOR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.32–4.55) and were more likely to be in the third year of academic study or above (AOR = 2.95, 95% CI: 1.50–5.76).ConclusionStudents (female especially) suffer from ED and IBS, with a significant risk of co-existing ED-IBS. ED and IBS are related to multiple mental health symptoms, which could lead to negative academic consequences. Screening, using simple and quick tests as SCOFF questionnaire and ROME IV criteria (update of ROME III in 2016), is essential in this population of university students.