MADISON (WKOW) -- Some health experts are concerned about a study released Monday on binge drinking in college.
Researchers from Colgate University say college students who binge drink report being happier than those who don't.
"Oh, the drinkers were happier? Wow," says Tyler Mitchell, a former UW-Madison student.
"Everything is so glamorized," says Lee Stovall, another former UW-Madison student. "It's hard to take a step back and say, ‘Maybe I could be happier bowling for a night or something random.'"
Researchers released their findings Monday morning at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Denver.
They link happiness to social status and found that people who were binge drinking were happier and felt like they fit in.
But some experts say it's the fitting in that's key and there are other ways to get that feeling.
The University Health Services executive director also points out that a survey of nearly 1,595 undergraduate students is a fairly small study.
"When we look at alcohol use, there is a lot about the institution, public or private, small or large, urban or rural, that really affects alcohol use patterns. This is one study at one university," says Sarah Van Orman, UHS executive director.
Binge drinking is defined as having more than four drinks for women and more than five for men.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention links binge drinking with health problems like liver disease, neurological damage and strokes.
I also spoke with a UW professor who says it's important to point out that it's the students who are saying they are happier, and they might not actually be as happy as they're saying they are.
