The persistence of adolescent binge drinking into adulthood: findings from a 15-year prospective cohort study

Abstract

ObjectivesTo examine the prevalence of binge drinking in adolescence and its persistence into adulthood in an Australian cohort.Design15-year prospective cohort study.SettingVictoria, Australia.Participants1943 adolescents were recruited from secondary schools at age 14–15 years.Primary outcome measuresLevels of past-week ‘binge’ drinking (5+ standard drinks on a day, each 10 g alcohol) and ‘heavy binge’ drinking (20+ standard drinks on a day for males, 11+ for females) were assessed during six adolescent waves, and across three adult waves up to age 29 years.ResultsHalf of the males (52%) and a third of the females (34%) reported past-week adolescent binge drinking. 90% of male and 70% of female adolescent-onset binge drinkers continued to binge in young adulthood; 70% of males and 48% of females who were not adolescent-onset binge drinkers reported young adult binge drinking. Past-week heavy bingeing was less common in adolescence than adulthood. Overall, 35% of the sample (95% CI 33% to 38%) reported past-week binge drinking in adolescence and young adulthood and one-third (33%; 30% to 35%) first reported binge drinking in young adulthood; only 7% of the sample (6–8%) had binge drinking in adolescence but not young adulthood. ‘Heavy binge’ drinking occurred in adolescence and young adulthood for 9% (8% to 10%); 8% (7% to 10%) reported it in adolescence but no longer in young adulthood; and 24% (22% to 26%) began ‘heavy binge’ drinking in young adulthood. Among adolescent binge drinkers (n=821), young adult binge and heavy binge drinking were predicted by being male, adolescent antisocial behaviour and adverse consequences of drinking in adolescence.ConclusionsBinge alcohol use is common and persistent among young Australians. Efforts to prevent the onset of binge drinking during adolescence may substantially reduce harmful patterns of alcohol use in young adulthood.

Health literacy in selected populations: Individuals, families, and communities from the international and cultural perspective

“…Moreover, the development of health literacy and ensuing literacy and decision-making skills among children and adolescents represent a ripe area for future research, especially regarding the effectiveness and impact of health literacy interventions on teen health and lifestyle decisions. Lifestyle decisions made in adolescence influence both current and future health, and there is evidence that lifestyle choices adopted in adolescence persist into later life [7,53].…”

Self‐reported injury in Australian young adults: demographic and lifestyle predictors

“…Moreover, males have been elsewhere reported to be more likely to undertake risky behaviours 35 . That adolescent males engage in more risky behaviours, leading to higher rates of injury, may in part relate to their higher alcohol consumption 29,36 …”

Is Early‐Onset Alcohol Use an Indicator of Problematic Alcohol Use Later in Life? Lessons Belgium can Learn From the Netherlands

“…The findings of De Veld et al are all the more important, given the fact that other studies on this topic have mainly been conducted in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, and Great Britain (Degenhardt et al, ; DeWit et al, ; Englund et al, ; Grant and Dawson, ; Jefferis et al, ; Mattick et al, ; Olsson et al, ; Silins et al, ; Viner and Taylor, ).…”

“…When problematic alcohol use at a young age leads to problems because of alcohol use in later life, it seems obvious that a delay in the age of onset of alcohol use is of utmost importance to prevent problematic alcohol use in later life. Degenhardt et al () conclude that efforts to prevent the onset of binge drinking during adolescence may substantially reduce harmful patterns of alcohol use in young adulthood. Moreover, we know by now that the process of human brain maturation is not complete until approximately 25 years of age (Gavin et al, ).…”