As spring draws near, various groups around Grounds begin hosting “darties” — outdoor, day long parties. Darties may be fun, but they can also come with potential health risks. The good news, however, is these health risks can be prevented by taking simple precautions.
Extensive periods outside can lead to overheating and heat stroke. To prevent heat stroke at darties, Lauren Powell, fourth-year College student and an EMT, recommends alternating indoor, air-conditioned areas with the outdoors to give the body time to cool down.
Other effective protection methods include wearing loose, lightweight clothing, drinking plenty of fluids and protecting against sunburns, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“Pain from skin damage, scarring and fluid loss can all occur from significant sunburns,” Dr. Christopher Holstege, executive director of Student Health, said in an email statement.
To avoid sunburns specifically at darties, Powell recommends wearing cotton shirts and cover-ups, a hat and sunglasses, SPF 45+ waterproof sunscreen and staying in the shade during peak sun hours (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
Drinking alcohol beverages in these conditions can result in dehydration. Dehydration from drinking is caused by alcohol’s effect on antidiuretic hormone, or ADH, which helps the kidney manage the body's water amount.
“When ADH levels drop due to [alcohol], the kidneys fail to reabsorb water and therefore produce too much urine and potentially lead to dehydration”, Holstege said.
Alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks can help stabilize ADH levels.
“If students are consuming alcohol, it is best to alternate with a 1:1 ratio with water (or juice, milk, even soda if that is the only option),” Powell said in an email statement.
Other ways to stay hydrated include eating fruits with high water contents, such as watermelon, oranges, and grapefruit, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The duration of alcohol intake can also cause various health risks. For short periods of alcohol intake, the blood alcohol level determines the side-effects.
“The higher the blood [alcohol] level, the more intoxicating effects will be seen clinically such as slurred speech, difficulty walking, poor judgment, and memory lapses,” Holstege said.
However, these effects are also affected by the amount and type of alcohol consumed, the rate at consumption and whether food is in the body.
Large amounts of alcohol consumption, especially in a short time span, can cause “blackouts.” Blackouts are periods of memory loss that involve the impairment of the brain’s ability to transfer short term memories to long term memories.
“It is a common misconception that blackouts generally occur only to alcoholics,” Holstege said.
Research from the National Institute of Health has suggested college students that binge drink at social events are often also at risk of blackouts and dehydration. Pacing the amount of alcohol intake and alternating alcoholic with non-alcoholic beverages can help prevent these potential dangers.
Awareness of potential health risks can help make outdoor events like darties safer and more enjoyable. Several groups at the University, such as the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team and the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, currently provide students with safety tips for high risk events.
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