Do Traditional Western European Drinking Practices Have Origins in Antiquity?

Abstract

When in the collection and within a category, click on "title" to see all items in alphabetical order. The CollectionThis document is part of a collection that serves two purposes. First, it is a digital archive for a sampling of unpublished documents, presentations, questionnaires and limited publications resulting from over forty years of research. Second, it is a public archive for data on college student drinking patterns on the national and international level collected for over 20 years. Research topics by Dr. Engs have included the exploration of hypotheses concerning the determinants of behaviors such as student drinking patterns; models that have examine the etiology of cycles of prohibition and temperance movements, origins of western European drinking cultures (attitudes and behaviors concerning alcohol) from antiquity, eugenics, Progressive Era, and other social reform movements with moral overtones-Clean Living Movements; biographies of health and social reformers including Upton Sinclair; and oral histories of elderly monks. Indiana University Archives

Alcohol and CV Health: Jekyll and Hyde J-Curves

“…In common parlance ethanol is referred to as "alcohol", and consumption of alcoholic beverages is known as "drinking", which has been a custom in many cultures throughout recorded human history. 2 When alcohol assumes the malevolent Mr. Hyde identity, it is recognized as 1 of the 4 most common preventable and modifiable causes of major noncommunicable diseases. 3 Excessive alcohol intake is responsible for 4% of all deaths, and it plays a causal role in 60 different diseases including atrial fibrillation (AF), stroke, hypertension (HTN), heart failure (HF), seizures, cirrhosis, poisonings, accidents, violence, and many malignancies including cancers of the larynx, colon, rectum, breast, and liver.…”

Alcohol Consumption, Alcohol Dependence and Attributable Burden of Disease in Europe: Potential Gains From Effective Interventions for Alcohol Dependence

“…There is some speculation that these differences in drinking styles can be traced back to antiquity, 20 even though drinking cultures have changed a great deal during different times of history. In Europe today, it seems that the local drinking style is less strongly associated with regional patterns than before.…”

Drinking Games and Rite of Life Projects

“…The aim of this social comparison is a description and an attempt to understand young people's drinking practice in the context of ancient religious cultures and communities in Europe. Modern use of alcohol has its cultural origins in rituals and religious belief systems (Cottino and Prina, 1997;Douglas, 1987;Engs, 1995;Qviller, 1996). However, even today,important stages in the life circle such as birthdays, graduation parties and weddings, are celebrated through alcohol consumption in Western culture.…”