healthmedicinet

• Young teenagers who are given alcohol by their parents are more likely to three times more at age 16
• Parents believe introducing alcohol in a safe environment teaches responsible drinking 
•  National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre followed nearly 2,000 families over four years
• The chief investigator said the results shocked researchers

By
Marielle Simon for Daily Mail Australia
and Aap

Published:
02:30 EST, 8 September 2014

|
Updated:
05:40 EST, 8 September 2014

299

View
comments

A recent study have found young teens given alcohol from parents are more likely to be heavy drinkers by the age of 16

Parents who allow their young teenagers to drink alcohol in the hope it will teach them responsible drinking habits later on in life may be doing the opposite. 

A study has found teenagers whose parents supply alcohol in early adolescence are three times more likely to drink full serves of alcohol at age 16, compared to those who wait.

The study’s chief investigator, Professor Richard Mattick, said parents are confused about the best way to moderate their children’s drinking.

But he says the study shows supplying booze doesn’t work, with the biggest predictor for drinking alcohol in year 10 being early parental supply through school years 7 to 9.

‘Parents are the major supplier of alcohol to the under 18s,’ Professor Mattick said.

‘Many of these do so with the best of intentions, to introduce alcohol in a safe, supervised environment, with the aim of moderating a child’s drinking.’

Professor Mattick said the findings of the study had not anticipated by researchers and recommend parents to be aware of the risks associated with supplying alcohol to their children.

Professor Mattick said adolescent drinking was linked to later harms in early adulthood including injury, sexually transmitted diseases and adult alcohol dependence, with changes in brain function reported by US researchers.

About one in six children in the study reported being given alcohol by their parents at age 12 and 13.

More than one-third of the study’s sample were supplied with alcohol by their parents at age 15 and 16.

‘The results also indicate that those children who are given alcohol by their parents may be more likely to seek out alcohol from a variety of other sources,’ said Dr Monika Wadolowski, who recently completed a PhD on aspects of the research.

The study conducted by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, followed nearly 2,000 parent and child pairs over four years and aimed to provide guidance to parents on how best to moderate their children’s drinking. 

Australian Drug Foundation spokesman Geoff Munro told ABC that other studies have shown young people who start drinking before 18 can develop physical, emotional and cognitive problems. 

Mr Munro recommends young teenagers avoid ‘alcohol for as long as possible’.  

GRAPHIC: Moment biker is killed in crash caught on video

• Jack the Ripper unmasked: How amateur sleuth used DNA…

• ‘I cannot wait to see my brother suffer more’: Prince…

• Star studded send-off: Howard Stern joked about Joan River’s…

• Filmmaker dresses as ‘Ebola-infected ISIS terrorist’ to…

• NBA owner to sell Atlanta Hawks after racist email emerges…

• Diana phoned Camilla in the middle of the night and said: ‘I…

• Now eldest daughter of ‘Sons of Guns’ reality show star…

• FIRED: Baltimore Ravens release Ray Rice after sickening…

• Say goodbye to Summer! Snow comes a month early with SEVEN…

• Marble statues, chandeliers, walls lined with gold – and…

• Couple arrested after kidnapped Indiana mom is found after…

• Waif supermodel Kate Moss’ fell into a downward spiral of…

Comments (302)

what you think

• 
  
  Newest
• 
  
  Oldest
• 
  
  Best rated
• 
  
  Worst rated

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Find out now