Introduction:

University students consume more alcohol than the general population, despite the fact that this practice causes morbidity and mortality.

Objective:

To establish the lifetime and current -last three months- consumption prevalence of alcoholic beverages in university students, as well as the risk of abusive consumption and alcoholism, and the association of biological and socioeconomic variables related to consumption.

Materials and methods:

Descriptive study conducted in Villavicencio, Colombia. A structured survey was applied to 721 students of a public university and the risk of alcoholism and alcoholism were established using the CAGE Questionnaire. Prevalence ratios for five dependent and socioeconomic and biological variables were estimated using binomial models.

Results:

The lifetime prevalence of alcoholic beverage consumption was 87.1%, with no difference by sex (p=0.112), while the prevalence of consumption in the last three months was 69.4%, with a disadvantage for men versus women (58.4% vs. 41.6%, p<0.0001). The risk of alcoholism and alcoholism was 26.2% and 4.3%, respectively. Sex, taste for alcoholic drinks, and progress in the academic program are predictors of alcoholism risk and abuse.

Conclusions:

Social anxiety and positive expectations regarding consumption are elements to consider in future interventions.

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