Surveys show fewer teenagers drinking alcohol
22 August 2003
The number of under-age teenagers drinking alcohol has decreased over the past 3 years according to surveys conducted as part of the Australian Government's National Alcohol Campaign, 'Drinking, where are your choices taking you?’.
The proportion of 15 to 17-year-olds who had an alcoholic drink within the 3 months leading up to each survey decreased significantly from 68 per cent in February 2000 to 63 per cent in August 2002, Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Trish Worth, announced this week.
However, the surveys also showed that among teenagers who drank in the last 3 months, about half reported that on their last drinking occasion they had consumed at the ‘higher-risk’ level of 7 or more standard drinks for males and 5 or more standard drinks for females (based on the National Health and Medical Research Council's Australian Alcohol Guidelines for adult drinkers).
In addition, the surveys showed significant shifts in the types of alcohol consumed by teenagers who had drunk alcohol in the 3 months prior to each survey.
- Fewer males were drinking full-strength beer (down from 46 per cent in February 2000 to 39 per cent in August 2002); and a higher proportion of males were drinking pre-mixed spirits (up from 14 per cent in February 2000 to 24 per cent in August 2002).
- Fewer females were drinking full-strength beer (down from 15 per cent in February 2000 to 8 per cent in August 2002); and a higher proportion of females were drinking pre-mixed spirits (up from 14 per cent in February 2000 to 46 per cent in August 2002).
Professor Margaret Hamilton, a member of the National Expert Advisory Committee on Alcohol, welcomed the trend of decreased alcohol consumption among 15 to 17 year olds, emphasising that ‘… more work needs to be done to establish that the trend is continuing.’
Last Reviewed: 24 August 2003
