Jell-O Shots Are Ruining American Teens

As scientists inch closer to a neurological understanding of why people engage in the fundamentally irrational behaviour which is binge drinking, more clues are beginning to emerge in the form of gelatin.

A recent study from Boston University Medical Center was the very first to home in on that time-honoured tradition of infusing the Jell-O of your childhood with booze, and the results are pretty scary. Not only did researchers find that just over one-fifth of their 1,031 participants had consumed Jell-O shots over the last 30 days, but their results also suggested that Jell-O shots appear to be a gateway to hardcore drinking.

In a press release, lead author Dr. Michael Siegel said that the playful shots can contribute to underage binge drinking "through use of a recognizable, widely available, appealing product such as Jello as a channel for alcohol consumption."

What's more, it would seem that those who consume Jell-O shots were "significantly more likely to drink heavily" than those who did not. Jell-O shot "users," as they were referred to in the study, drank 2.2 days more per week on average, than non-users. They also drank 30.9 drinks per month compared to 18.8 drinks per month for non-users.

But the fun doesn't end there for Jell-O shot enthusiasts. Siegel and his team also confirmed that they were also twice as likely to throw down and get into a physical fight than those who keep their Jell-O consumption and their drinking separate.

While the study stopped short of establishing a cause and effect relationship between Jell-O shot consumption and risky behaviour, the results clearly demonstrate that these gelatinous shots, the most popular of which turned out to be vodka- and bourbon-based, are definitely a red flag.

While the study stopped short of establishing a cause and effect relationship between Jell-O shot consumption and risky behaviour, the results clearly demonstrate that these gelatinous shots—the most popular of which turned out to be vodka- and bourbon-based—are definitely a red flag.

All of which could have practical implications for those working in the public health sector, "[Consumption] appears to be associated with riskier patterns of alcohol use and increased risk of adverse consequences," Siegel said. "Suggesting that specific interventions to address this consumption may be warranted as part of the effort to reduce risky alcohol use among youths."

So don't be fooled by the cuteness of neon colours and plastic shot glasses, people. Jell-O shots can lead you down a dark, depraved path.