Teens whose parents binge drank were more likely to drink

Teens whose parents binge drank were more likely to drink

September 14, 2023

New CDC study finds that adolescents whose parents binge drank were more likely to drink alcohol A new study published today in the Journal of Adolescent Health finds that adolescents whose parents binge drank had a four times greater chance of drinking than adolescents whose parents did not binge drink. The risks of using alcohol extend beyond the person who drinks—for example, from parents to their children, as found in this study.

Excessive drinking, including underage drinking, is harmful to our health. More than 140,000 people die from excessive alcohol use in the United States each year, including nearly 4,000 people under age 21. CDC examined the drinking behaviors of parent-child pairs using 2020 SummerStyles and YouthStyles US surveys to understand the possible influence of parents’ drinking behavior on their children’s alcohol use. The findings of this national study suggest that if parents avoid binge drinking, it could reduce the likelihood of drinking among their adolescent children, and likely reduce alcohol-related harms as well. Effective alcohol policies can discourage binge drinking and improve well-being among both adults and teens.

Evidence-based strategies to prevent excessive alcohol use include the following: Reduce the number and concentration of places that sell alcohol. By reducing the availability and accessibility of alcohol in the home and in communities, and by not providing alcohol to people younger than 21 years, parents can discourage their children from drinking alcohol. Increase the price of alcohol, such as by raising alcohol taxes. Enhance enforcement of laws controlling alcohol sales, including those that prohibit sales of alcohol to minors.

Other announcements – Check out recent CDC publications on alcohol and injuries: Estimating the Role of Excessive Alcohol Consumption in Deaths from Injuries

Researchers from CDC and the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research published a new study in Addiction that compares various approaches for estimating average annual deaths from injuries due to excessive alcohol use in the United States. The tens of thousands of deaths from alcohol-attributable injuries every year can be prevented. Effective population-level alcohol policies, such increasing alcohol taxes and regulating the places that sell alcohol in communities, can reduce the prevalence and frequency of consuming a high number of drinks on an occasion (including binge drinking), and therefore lower the risk of fatal injury.

Falls Associated with Alcohol Use Among Older Adults

A CDC study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine highlights the rising rates of emergency department visits for alcohol-associated falls among older adults from 2011 to 2019.

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