Alcohol Drinking in Adolescents Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused changes in individuals' daily lives, including drinking habits. This study attempted to identify factors of Korean adolescents' current alcohol drinking due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study used secondary data from the 17th Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey that included 54 848 individuals. In this study, current alcohol drinking was defined as consuming at least 1 alcoholic drink per day for the past month. Changes in physical activity, mealtimes, smoking, and depressive symptoms were recorded. Results: The multiple logistic regression results show that the risk for current alcohol drinking due to the COVID-19 pandemic was 1.14 times higher in increased physical activity (95% CI: 1.04-1.25, P =.007); 1.18 times higher in increased skipping breakfast (95% CI: 1.07-1.30, P =.001); 1.22 times higher in decrease skipping breakfast (95% CI: 1.10-1.36, P <.001); and 15.69 times higher in increase smoking (95% CI: 12.53-19.64, P <.001). Conclusion: It is necessary to improve social support systems and related policies for adolescents who experienced a change in daily habits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results may contribute to preparing strategies and support measures to reduce drinking by developing personalized healthcare in the future.