Who ‘likes’ alcohol? Young Australians' engagement with alcohol marketing via social media and related alcohol consumption patterns

OBJECTIVE: To describe patterns of 'liking' alcohol marketing social media pages, and determine related alcohol consumption patterns among young Australians. METHODS: Participants were 1,001 Australians aged 15-29 years who completed a cross-sectional online survey. Logistic regression and ordinal logistic regression were used. RESULTS: A quarter (249/1001, 24.9%) liked at least one of the alcohol marketing social media pages, most commonly brands of spirits, cider and alcohol retailers. Underage participants were as likely as older participants to report liking these pages. Alcohol marketing social media use was significantly and independently associated with male gender, living outside a major city, ever using illegal drugs and early age of first alcohol consumption (all p<0.05). Alcohol marketing social media use (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.5-2.8, p=<0.001) was independently associated with higher categories on the AUDIT-C, indicating riskier alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Liking or following alcohol marketing pages is common regardless of age, and associated with riskier alcohol consumption, among young Australians. IMPLICATIONS: There is a need to develop strategies to reduce the exposure to, and potential impact of, alcohol marketing social media pages on young Australians, and ensure these pages are neither accessible to nor targeting underage social media users.