Professional rugby players may have a higher risk of drinking and gambling problems compared to the general population, according to a survey of NZ men’s Super Rugby players on mental health and lifestyle risks. Of the 105 players who responded, more than half were at moderate to high risk of alcohol harm, while the percentage of gamblers was about eight times higher than in the general population. 21% of players reported symptoms of depression, however, none met the criteria for depression. However, researchers say all of these risk factors may be underestimated since they were self-reported.
