The study also found that athletes are more likely than non-athletes to consider partying an important part of their campus life.

Study author Toben Nelson said several factors make college athletes more susceptible to alcohol misuse, despite a higher exposure to alcohol education. They include an athlete's natural competitiveness, the high-pressured lives they lead, and the frequent visibility of alcohol commercials such as those run during NCAA games.

"There is something about the culture of college athletics that really promotes heavy alcohol abuse," Nelson said. "Drinking is a highly social activity, and on many campuses, athletics are at the center of the social scene."

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