1.
In England, what percentage of 11 - 15 year-olds have tried alcohol?
b) 45%
55% of 11 - 15 year-olds haven’t drunk alcohol in England. At age 11, 99% of girls and 95% of boys don’t drink alcohol regularly - just 2% have ever been drunk.
2.
In the UK, how many 13 year-olds drink alcohol once a week?
a) 11%
At age 13, 90% of boys and girls don’t drink weekly in England and Scotland (86% in Wales) with just 15% having been drunk once.
3.
Are young people in Britain drinking more or less than 4 years ago?
a) Less 17% of 13 year-old girls and 20% of boys were drinking weekly in 2005/6 - now it’s 10%. Among 15 year-olds, 28% of girls and 41% of boys drank weekly in 2005/6 - now it’s 22% of girls and 31% of boys.
4.
Do you think that we drink more than other teenagers in Europe?
a) Yes 16 year-olds who drink in the UK don’t drink any more often but drink more per session (5 - 6 drinks) than the EU average of 3 - 4 drinks (This is way above safe drinking guidelines).
5.
What percentage of 15 year-olds drink once a week in the UK
c) 28%
72% of 15 year-olds don’t drink weekly or get drunk despite what the media might say.
2
6. Across Europe what proportion of 16 year-olds have been drunk over the last month?
c) 17%
Levels of drunkenness vary - In 2011, 37% of 16 year-olds had been drunk in Denmark and 32% in Spain, 13% in Greece and Italy, but less than 10% in Russia.
7.
On the last drinking occasion, which of the 3 countries below reported the highest consumption?
a) Denmark
8.
Do you think…
a) Teenagers drink in different ways in different countries? YES b) Girls are catching up with boys? YES
c) That more boys drink to get drunk than girls? NO
The HBSC survey found more 15 year-old girls than boys had been drunk at least twice (43% girls and 38% boys). The ESPAD study found 29% girls are drunk monthly versus 24% boys. Girls are drinking more spirits than boys who prefer beer which is lower in alcohol. There are also more girls ending up in hospital than boys.... Although alcohol related hospital admissions are at a 7 year low for those under 18 (12,332 in 2010/11), there were 1,200 more admissions for girls (6,769) than boys (5,563).
Source for statistics:
Sources:school project on alcohol and other drugs (ESPAD) 2011 report
European
Health
behaviour
school-aged
children
studyand
(HBSC)
2009/10
report 2012), a survey carried out every
ESPAD
European in
school
survey project
on alcohol
other drugs
(published
Smoking,
drinking
and
drug use
among
4 years of
15 and 16
year-olds
across
the EUyoung people in England 2010
HBSC Health behaviour in school-aged children study: 2009/10 report (published 2012) following the
behaviours of 11-15 year-olds across Europe
Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England 2010 (ONS published 2011).