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Danger of teen binge drinking
[Posted: Fri 09/07/2004 - www.irishhealth.com]
By Deborah Condon
People who begin binge drinking in their early teens are highly likely to suffer serious health consequences by the age of 24, the results of a new study indicate.
A team of researchers found that people who begin binge drinking at the age of 13 and continue throughout their teen years, are nearly four times more likely to be overweight or obese by the age of 24, compared to those who never or rarely drink heavily during adolescence.
Early binge drinkers are also over three times more likely to have high blood pressure by the age of 24.
Binge drinking was defined as having five or more drinks on one occasion.
The study followed the progress of 800 children through to adulthood. The participants were interviewed annually starting when they were 13 years old, until they were 16. They were then interviewed again at ages 18, 21 and 24. They were asked about alcohol, drug and tobacco use.
At the age of 24, they were asked about health-related behaviours, such as regular exercise. They were also asked if they had developed any of 18 conditions in the past year, including asthma, diabetes and heart disease. Their blood pressure was also checked.
The researchers found that there were four distinct groups of teen binge drinkers:
-Chronic binge drinkers - they started binge drinking at age 13 and continued the practise between three and five times a month until the age of 18.
-Escalators - they began drinking around the age of 15 and their bingeing increased sharply and continuously until they were binge drinking nearly 10 times a month by the age of 18.
-Late on-setters - they started drinking after the age of 16 and averaged two bingeing episodes a month by the age of 18.
-Non-binge drinkers - they never or rarely engaged in binge drinking between the ages of 13 and 18.
"Being overweight or having high blood pressure can be linked to future problems such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. What we are seeing are the first warning signs of more serious health problems", said the researchers from the University of Washington.
The study also found that late on-setters were 50% more likely to have been ill in the past year, compared to those who did not drink heavily as teens. They were also 50% more likely to drive drunk or allow themselves to be passengers in a car in which they knew the driver was drunk.
Escalators meanwhile, who reported the highest overall level of binge drinking by the age of 18, were also more likely to engage in unsafe driving situations and to engage in serious anti-social behaviour, including crime.
"Young adults who either did not binge drink or rarely did so during adolescence are the most likely to be healthy and engage in safe health-related behaviours", the researchers said.
Details of this study are published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol.
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regina(mstidy) Posted:
10/07/2004 22:39 |
| My daughter has been drinking since aged 16 often coming home very drunk. I have tried explaining to her the dangers but she just says I will be alright. She is 3 stone overweight and suffers from depression but has not the willpower to do anything about it. I have encouraged her to lose weight but she always loses interest after a week or two. She suffers from depression and I wonder if this is the reason she drinks so much when she is out. Both her father and I drink very rarely. |
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regina(mstidy) Posted:
10/07/2004 22:42 |
| I have a suspicion that my son smokes cannabis on occasions although he has denied it when I asked him. He is an intelligent lad with a great future ahead of him and i am afraid he will do damage to himself and maybe even get into trouble with the police if they found some on him. I have found a small piece in his pocket on occasions but do not want to challenge him. My husband says to do nothing but I am worried sick. |
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Anonymous
Posted:
14/07/2004 15:34 |
| I think you need to examine why your daughter drinks so much. Is her depression causing her to drink - to take the edge of the psychological pain she is in and to give her confidence in a social setting. Has she recieved treatment / counselling for depression? Of course the empty calories from alcohol will cause her to gain more weight - which may in turn lead to more depression - causing a vicious circle. Also beware that a parents concern and advice may come acorss to a teenager as nagging and hassle |
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Anonymous
Posted:
15/07/2004 09:14 |
| If you can get your daughter into a sport or an acitivty like dancing, hillwalking.. she will loose weight and moderate her drinking to a social norm (although the norm for kids is high). Don't worry that she drinks - all kids do - it is a right of passage. I realise getting someone who is not interested in sport into something is a monumental task but worthwhile.. |
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