No alcohol for teens best for adult health

Drinking “safe” amounts of alcohol does not protect teenagers from developing alcohol-related problems as adults, according to a recent discovery by Murdoch Childrens researchers.

The team, led by Dr Elya Moore, found that even those teens who kept their consumption within the guidelines for healthy drinking in adults had higher rates of drinking problems 10 years on.

Published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, the research examined the value of the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) guidelines for low-risk drinking in adults.

Dr Moore said teen drinkers were more likely to have an alcohol-use disorder and participate in high-risk, alcohol-related sexual behaviour in young adulthood.

“This was particularly the case for young males where drinking – even at the low-risk level – was found to result in risky patterns of alcohol consumption into their 20s,” Dr Moore said.

Dr Moore said the pattern in female teenagers - who typically drank less than young males – was not as clear cut, suggesting further research into predictive measures was needed.

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