Doping prevalence among preadolescent athletes: a 4-year follow-up

Objective: To describe the prevalence of doping and its progression in a cohort of preadolescent athletes during a 4-year follow-up. Design and settings: Prospective cohort study. Self-questionnaire survey. Participants: All of the pupils entering the first year of secondary school (sixth grade) in the Vosges Departement (east France) and followed for 4 years. Main outcome measurements: Drug use (prohibited substances, tobacco, alcohol, cannabis), intention to use, reported health hazards, perceived drug effectiveness, self-esteem, trait anxiety. Results: At the beginning of the study, 1.2% (95% CI 0.8 to 1.6) stated that they had taken doping agents at least once in the preceding 6 months, and this had risen to 3.0% (95% CI 2.3-3.7) 4 years later (p < 0.001). Of those who had used doping agents, 4% reported that they had experienced a health problem related to doping, and 44% reported that they had won at least one sports event as a result of using the drug. Use of doping agents is linked to the number of hours of practice per week, intention to use, use of other drugs, self-esteem and trait anxiety. Conclusions: The results show that doping does exist in preadolescent athletes who train every day. This fact should to be taken into account in preventive actions.