Chicago Basset On-Premise Server Practice Test

Which factors can affect someone's Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)?

1. Height and physical fitness

2. Weight and age

3. Liver health and exercise habits

4. Environmental factors and medications

The correct answer is: Weight and age

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is influenced by several key factors, with weight and age being particularly significant. Weight plays a substantial role because a person's body mass affects the dilution of alcohol in the bloodstream. Individuals with higher body weight typically have a larger volume of blood and body fluids, which can result in a lower concentration of alcohol compared to someone of smaller stature after consuming the same amount. Age also impacts BAC due to physiological changes over time. As people age, their body composition often shifts, typically resulting in a higher proportion of body fat and lower water content. This change can lead to a higher concentration of alcohol in the blood for older adults compared to younger adults, assuming alcohol consumption remains the same. While the other mentioned factors have some influence on BAC, they do not have the same direct and well-established impact as weight and age. For example, liver health is crucial in metabolizing alcohol, but it is more about how efficiently alcohol is processed rather than directly influencing the BAC level at any given time. Similarly, environmental factors and medications can alter an individual’s response to alcohol, but they do not affect the BAC in the fundamental way that weight and age do.