Loud music hand in hand with risky behaviour

YOUNG people who spend time listening to loud music are more likely than non-listeners to smoke marijuana, binge drink and have unprotected sex, according to a Dutch survey of students aged 15–25 years.

The researchers defined a “risky” dose of music as listening to a volume of 89 decibels at least one hour per day via an MP3 player or at nightclubs/concerts.

Young people listening to loud MP3 players were more than twice as likely to have used marijuana in the past month compared to non-risky music listeners. And those frequently exposed to risky music at nightclubs were six times more likely to binge drink and twice as likely to have risky sex, leading the researchers to suggest providing condoms and hearing protection at these venues.
Pediatrics 2012; online May 21