The addition of caffeine to alcohol does not appear to enhance driving or sustained attention/reaction time performance relative to alcohol alone.

Introduction Predicting continued problematic levels of drinking after the early 20’s could help with early identification of persons at risk. This study investigated whether hangover insensitivity could predict post-college drinking and problems beyond the variance due to drinking patterns. Methods In a preliminary study, 134 college seniors from a laboratory study of hangover (Time 1) were contacted and assessed 1–4 years (M = 2.3) later (Time 2). Hangover severity was studied after controlled alcohol administration to a specific dose while controlling sleep and environmental influences. Hangover severity at Time 1 was used to predict Time 2 drinking volume and problems while controlling for relevant demographics and Time 1 drinking volume. Results Hangover insensitivity at Time 1 tended to predict a clinical level of alcohol problems with a strong statistical effect. Hangover sensitivity also correlated positively with sensitivity to alcohol intoxication. Hangover severity did not predict future drinking volume. Conclusions Hangover insensitivity correlates with insensitivity to intoxication and might predict more serious alcohol problems in the future, suggesting that a future larger study is warranted. Hangover insensitivity could result from physiological factors underlying low sensitivity to alcohol or risk for alcoholism.

Caffeinated alcoholic beverage (CAB) consumption is widespread among young adults in the United States and is associated with increased negative consequences from alcohol. In addition to the direct pharmacological effects of adding caffeine to alcohol, another possible risk mechanism is via socially-learned expectancies, which has received very little consideration. The current study conducted an initial psychometric validation of a measure of CAB expectancies to facilitate research in this area. Participants were 409 undergraduate regular drinkers (71% female) who were assessed for alcohol and CAB use, alcohol use/misuse, and expectancies about CABs. The majority (62%) of participants reported CAB experience and 48% reported CAB use in the past month. Participants primarily consumed spontaneously prepared as opposed to pre-mixed CABs. More frequent CAB use was significantly positively correlated with levels of alcohol use and misuse. For the expectancy items, exploratory factor analysis revealed two factors that were labeled “Intoxication Enhancement” and “Avoid Negative Consequences.” The patterns of expectancies reflected beliefs that CABs enhanced intoxication, but did not protect against negative consequences. The measure was titled the Caffeine+Alcohol Combined Effects Questionnaire (CACEQ). Intoxication enhancement scores were significantly associated with frequency of CAB use, even after adjusting for the role of weekly drinking and alcohol misuse, supporting the convergent validity of the CACEQ. These data provide initial support for the CACEQ and suggest it may be useful for clarifying the role of expectancies in CAB use. Applications for studying the risks associated with CAB use and methodological considerations are discussed.

Recreational walking may be influenced by environmental factors that support a safe, enjoyable, and social experience, attributes that are not necessarily prioritized in transportation walking. Outcome and exposure specificity are important when studying recreational walking.

Background:The ability to design or reconfigure communities to be more supportive of physical activity has broad public health implications. Assessing the context and locations of specific behaviors will lead to a better understanding of how neighborhood attributes influence overall physical activity.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was used to assess physical activity before and after residents moved to Mueller, a New Urbanist-inspired community in Austin, Texas. Context-specific physical activity and the locations where these activities took place were examined.Results:Overall, residents reported that they increased their physical activity by 66.4 minutes (95% CI: 32.8–100.1) per week after moving to Mueller. For recreational walking, residents reported an average of 159.8 minutes inside Mueller after moving, an increase from 91.7 minutes before their move (P < .001). Correspondingly, residents walked 18.6 fewer minutes per week outside Mueller (P < .001). For transport-related walking, the mean number of minutes spent walking outside Mueller remained constant, but the time spent walking inside the neighborhood decreased an average of 10.8 minutes per week after moving (P = .02).Conclusions:The most notable increase was seen in walking for recreation inside the neighborhood. Results of this natural experiment strongly suggest the environmental impact on physical activity and underscore the importance of investigating the context and locations where different types of physical activity occur.