Teenage girls in the United States now start to consume alcohol sooner than boys do, a new study shows.
For the study, researchers at Michigan State University collected data on about 390,000 U.S. teens and young adults aged 12 to 24 who took part in government surveys on drug use and health from 2002 to 2013.
The researchers, lead by Dr. Hui Cheng, an adjunct assistant professor at Michigan State University, found that in mid-adolescence, girls are more likely to start using alcohol compared to boys. After age 19, boys went on to consume more alcohol than girls.
However, a 2015 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found adult women are catching up to men when it comes to using and abusing alcohol.
The report shows that over the 10 year period, differences in measures such as current alcohol use, number of alcohol intake days per month, criteria for an alcohol use disorder and driving under the influence of alcohol in the past year, all narrowed for females and males. Males still consume more alcohol, but the differences between men and women are diminishing.
The new study reveals that girls are now more likely than boys to start alcohol consumption at an earlier age. Among the possible explanations, is that alcohol use has become more socially acceptable – due to the pervasive spread of alcohol marketing. Also, because girls typically reach puberty sooner, some start engaging in risky behaviors such as alcohol use earlier. It might also be that younger girls are spending time with older boys, increasing their exposure to alcohol.
The new findings suggest that efforts are needed to protect youth, especially adolescent girls: More policy measures, such as the three best buys are needed, to reduce the social, physical, psychological and financial availability of alcohol.