May 01, 2015 08:43 PM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Teens who mix alcohol with energy drinks have a higher risk of developing abusive drinking habits, according to a recent study.

Researchers at Dartmouth College found that teens aged 15-17 years old who had ever mixed alcohol with energy drinks were four times more likely to meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder than a teen who has tried alcohol but never mixed it with an energy drink.

"These findings are concerning," Jennifer Emond, first author of the study, said in a statement. "They highlight that mixed use of alcohol and energy drinks may signal the development of abusive drinking behaviors among adolescents."

For the study, researchers looked at a sample of more than 3,000 adolescents and young adults aged 15-23 years old recruited across the United States. They found that 9.7 percent of adolescents aged 15-17 years old had consumed an energy drink mixed with alcohol. Analyses showed that group to have greatly increased odds of not just binge drinking, but also clinically defined criteria for alcohol use disorder.

"Abusive alcohol use among adolescents is a dangerous behavior that can lead to injury, chronic alcohol use and abuse, and even death," Emond said. "Identifying those most at risk for alcohol use is critical. Given that this is a sensitive issue, it's possible that clinicians, parents, and educators might open dialogues about alcohol use with adolescents by starting the discussion on the topic of energy drinks."

Looking forward, the Dartmouth team will consider how the marketing of energy drinks may influence an adolescent's perception of use of energy drinks, including the acceptability of mixed use with alcohol.

The findings are detailed in the Journal of Pediatrics.

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