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A study conducted in Switzerland has shown that a smartphone app helped students reduce their heavy drinking habits, raising hopes that technology can contribute to the reduction of harmful alcohol consumption. The researchers from Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, along with their colleagues from the UK, Canada, and the US, assessed the effectiveness of a targeted intervention to promote healthier drinking habits among students. The results indicated a 10% decline in average alcohol consumption levels.
This study, published in the BMJ, will be well-received by health officials and behavioral scientists. According to the World Health Organization, alcohol abuse causes 3 million deaths per year and is a leading cause of death, physical, and mental disability in young people.
The study focused on a goal-oriented, game-like drinking app called Smaart, developed by Lausanne researchers in collaboration with the students. The app allowed students to record their drinking habits and offered personalized advice, alcohol consumption monitoring, and goals to achieve safe drinking. Lead researcher Nicolas Bertholet stated that those who had access to the app drank less over the 12-month period, with lower drinking volume and a reduction in the number of heavy drinking days.
The findings shed light on the value of secondary interventions provided by an app compared to advice from a medical professional. The researchers recruited more than 1,700 students in under 27 hours for the project, demonstrating high interest and willingness to participate in the app’s development.
The impact of alcohol on health can depend on both the overall volume consumed and specific drinking patterns. Studies in the UK have reported higher levels of drinking among students, with 20% of men and 11% of women aged 16 to 24 drinking above the low-risk drinking guideline levels, according to a health survey for England.
This Swiss study provides evidence that targeted multimedia interventions can have health benefits for at-risk populations. However, Sadie Boniface, head of research at the Institute of Alcohol Studies in the UK, notes that future interventions should ensure that marginalized groups are not left behind.
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