Does religiosity impact binge drinking among early adolescents? A cross-sectional study in a city in Southeastern Brazil

Abstract This study evaluated the association between religiosity and binge drinking in early adolescence. A cross-sectional study was conducted with adolescents aged 10-13 from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Stratified random sampling was performed considering the administrative district and school year. Adolescents filled an AUDIT-C form, containing questions about religiosity and binge drinking by parents and their best friends. Adolescents’ caregivers answered a form regarding socioeconomic issues. Descriptive analysis, univariate, and multivariate logistic regression were performed. A total of 650 adolescents participated in the study. The frequency of binge drinking was 13.7%. In the adjusted model, religiosity was not associated with binge drinking. The covariates associated were the age of 12-13 years (OR: 1.94; CI95%: 1.06-3.56; p=0.030), maternal binge drinking (OR: 3.12; CI95%: 1.76-5.52; p