To analyse the frequency and distribution of alcoholic beverage advertisements and to identify patterns of co-occurring marketing strategies on the three highest-rated broadcast television channels in Brazil between 2018 and 2020.

Cross-sectional study based on 1296 h of television programming recorded between 2018 and 2020. Alcoholic beverage advertisements were analysed to assess their frequency and distribution according to day of the week and programme audience ranking, while empirical patterns of co-occurring marketing strategies were identified using principal component analysis (PCA).

The three highest-rated free-to-air television channels in Brazil.

All alcoholic beverage advertisements.

Of the advertisements identified (n 2369), 11·2 % promoted alcoholic beverages (n 269). Overall, alcoholic beverage advertisements were more frequently aired on weekends than on weekdays and were predominantly aired outside programmes included in the monthly top 10 audience rankings. Four empirical patterns of co-occurring marketing strategies were identified: ‘Brand Characteristics,’ ‘Sports and Well-being,’ ‘Relationships’ and ‘Celebrity and Pleasure.’ Each pattern showed a distinct temporal distribution across the study period, with ‘Celebrity and Pleasure’ being more prominent in 2018 than in 2019, ‘Relationships’ showing the highest representation in 2019, ‘Sports and Well-being’ in 2018 and 2020 and ‘Brand Characteristics’ standing out in 2020.

Alcoholic beverage marketing was widely present on Brazil’s major broadcast television channels and showed distinct patterns of co-occurring marketing strategies over time. The limitations of current regulations reinforce the need for stricter policies to reduce exposure to alcohol marketing and its potential impact on alcohol consumption.

Nutrition claims on alcohol packaging are increasingly common; however, little is known about how consumers interpret and understand them. This study examined exposure to and perceptions of nutrition claims among Australians who regularly drink alcohol and identified predictors of positive attitudes towards claims.

In a cross-sectional online survey, participants viewed mocked-up alcohol labels showing eight nutrition-related claims commonly found in the Australian market, indicated how frequently they recalled seeing each, and the extent to which it was perceived as true, understandable, important and relevant. χ2 tests examined associations between perceptions and consumer attributes, and linear regression identified predictors of positive attitudes.

Australia, 2024.

2028 adults (18 + years) who regularly (more than once monthly) drink alcohol and reside in Australia.

Claims about carbohydrates (32 %) and sugar (31 %) were most frequently recalled and perceived to be true, relevant and easy to understand by approximately half of participants. Most participants considered access to claims’ content important, particularly sugar (76 %) and calories (73 %). Younger age, higher claim awareness and greater claim exposure significantly (p < 0·05) predicted positive attitudes across most claims, while female gender predicted positive attitudes towards sugar, calorie and vegan claims. The significance of other characteristics varied by claim type.

Alcohol nutrition claims are salient to many consumers and generally interpreted positively. These findings highlight the appeal of claims in alcohol contexts and underscore the need to consider regulatory options – including mandated health warning labels – to address this subtle marketing tactic and support informed choices.

Two functional genetic polymorphisms, ADH1B rs1229984 and ALDH2 rs671, play key roles in ethanol metabolism and are especially prevalent in East Asian populations. The rs1229984 variant accelerates the conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde, whereas rs671 reduces enzymatic activity for converting acetaldehyde into acetic acid. These variants affect alcohol use disorder risk and have been implicated in various systemic conditions.

To investigate the broader associations of ADH1B rs1229984 and ALDH2 rs671 with habitual alcohol use in large, unselected populations.

We analysed data from 146 374 Taiwanese adults (aged 20–90 years) enrolled in the Taiwan Biobank.

Both variants showed clear associations with habitual alcohol use. The ADH1B rs1229984 CC genotype was associated with a higher prevalence of drinking, indicating a substantial contribution to alcohol-related behaviour. The ALDH2 rs671 A allele was linked to markedly reduced drinking, reflecting known intolerance among carriers rather than implying a uniformly larger effect than ADH1B. Beyond alcohol use, rs671 showed a protective association with gout, whereas rs1229984 was not significantly associated with chronic diseases after correction.

In this large population sample, both ADH1B rs1229984 and ALDH2 rs671 demonstrate meaningful, genotype-dependent effects on habitual alcohol use. Their combined effects underscore the importance of evaluating gene–gene interactions rather than attributing disproportionate influence to a single locus.

Alcohol companies are increasingly marketing products with nutrition-related claims to appeal to consumers. There are concerns around the potential of such claims to mislead; however, there is limited research on consumers’ attitudes to claims, why they use them and how they influence product selection. The aim of this study was to explore these issues among Australian consumers.

Nine online focus groups were conducted with approximately nine individuals per group (n 83). Groups were stratified by age, sex and drinking status. Participants were asked about their alcohol purchasing behaviours and presented with a selection of alcohol products that displayed nutrition-related claims (e.g. zero sugar).

Australia.

Australian adults who consumed alcohol at least twice per month.

Three major themes emerged from the data. First, most participants appeared to trust on-pack claims, viewing them as tools for making healthier choices. Claims were cited as being particularly useful when placed on the front of packaging to assist the rapid identification of products perceived as ‘healthier’ options. Second, participants appeared to use claims primarily to identify nutrients or ingredients they wanted to avoid, especially sugar, calories and preservatives. Finally, most participants supported the use of claims, with few raising concerns about them being potentially misleading.

The results of this study add to growing evidence indicating that nutrition-related claims can mislead consumers about the healthiness of alcoholic beverages. Policymakers should seek to restrict the use of claims while also working to increase awareness of the health risks associated with alcohol consumption.

Neurodevelopmental models regard impulsivity as a central risk factor for adolescent substance use. However, the practical utility of impulsivity in predicting substance use is complicated by variability among measures that encompass multiple methods and theoretical domains. Prior research has been constrained by cross-sectional designs, small sample sizes, and/or the use of a narrow subset of impulsivity measures.

Leveraging the ABCD dataset (n = 11,868), we identified and replicated correlations among impulsivity measures and assessed their prospective longitudinal and concurrent predictive utility regarding adolescent substance use outcomes before 15 years old. We then used simulation to inform how associations between impulsivity and substance use vary across sampling strategies (population vs. high-risk cohorts) and sample sizes.

Correlations between questionnaire and behavioral measures of impulsivity were small, and questionnaires significantly outperformed behavioral measures in predicting substance use initiation, largely due to the contribution of the CBCL externalizing scale. Predictions of substance use based on impulsivity were statistically detectable but small according to clinical standards (AUCs 0.6–0.76), exhibiting sensitivity to sample size and base rate of substance use, and thus, poor absolute predictive performance. Large samples (n > 1,000) were needed to achieve adequate power for impulsivity measures to predict substance use initiation.

These results support a significant but small contribution of impulsivity in predicting the onset of early adolescent substance use, indicating that these factors alone are insufficient for clinically deployable prediction. In community samples, large sample sizes are needed for reproducible impulsivity prediction of adolescent substance use.

Skin picking disorder is characterized by repetitive excoriation of one’s skin. Although skin picking disorder is associated with substance use problems, no previous research has examined the associations of alcohol use on skin picking symptomatology.

Adults with skin picking disorder (n = 182) were recruited from the general community via an online survey. Participants completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to measure alcohol use and various self-report measures to assess clinical profiles and associated characteristics. We compared variables of interest between those with hazardous alcohol use in the past year (AUDIT ≥8) compared to those with low-risk or no alcohol use in the past year. We also examined the extent to which skin picking disorder symptoms were dimensionally related to AUDIT scores while controlling for confounders.

Of the 182 adults with skin picking disorder, 62 (34.1%) met criteria for hazardous alcohol use. Hazardous drinking was associated with less frequent skin picking but higher overall picking-related severity and impairment, aggression, and rates of comorbid borderline personality disorder, gambling disorder, and compulsive sexual behavior disorder. Skin picking-related impairment predicted the degree of hazardous drinking while controlling for sex.

This study highlights the importance of screening for hazardous alcohol use in people with skin picking disorder. More research is needed to explore the relationship between aggression, hazardous alcohol use, and skin picking, as well as how treatments might best be adapted to treat individuals with this cluster of symptoms.