January 25, 2018

expert reaction to study looking at parents giving alcohol to their teenage children, and alcohol-related risks

Parental provision of alcohol to teenagers does not reduce risks, compared to no supply, reports a new study, published in The Lancet Public Health.

Dr Ruth McGovern, Senior Research Associate and NIHR Post Doctorate Fellow, Institute of Health & Society, Newcastle University, said:

“The article by Mattick and colleagues published in the Lancet Public Health offers a valuable contribution to its field. To date, there has been no prospective research examining the associations between parental supply of alcohol, supply from other sources and alcohol outcomes in adolescents. This high quality study follows a large cohort of adolescents from age 12 to 17 years into a period of adolescence when risk-taking behaviours and associated problems begin to emerge; providing robust evidence that parental supply of alcohol does not offer protection. This has important implications for parents aiming to promote healthy choices in their children. Whilst it is not possible to discount the fact that some adolescents might drink because they think it will be pleasurable, parents should be advised that the safest approach is not to supply alcohol to children below the legal purchase age.”

Dr James Nicholls, Director of Research and Policy Development, Alcohol Research UK, said:

“This study adds to the evidence that parental supply of alcohol to children is, by itself, unlikely to prevent later harms. Predictably, it finds that children who have no access to alcohol experience the least alcohol-related problems. It also finds, confirming similar recent studies, that the most serious harms are associated with children accessing alcohol from sources other than their parents.

“However, the study also suggests that it was more likely that young people will go on to get alcohol from other sources if they had parental supply. In other words, it finds no evidence that giving alcohol to children, by itself, will make them less likely to drink (and get drunk) later on.

“The findings only tell us whether alcohol was supplied by parents, not the context in which it occurs; therefore, it can’t say whether the way in which parents supply, or talk about, alcohol has an effect on later outcomes. However, it provides yet more evidence that the ‘continental’ approach to introducing children to alcohol, at least in high-consuming countries, does little to prevent heavier drinking later on. Indeed, it may do the reverse.”

* ‘Association of parental supply of alcohol with adolescent drinking, alcohol-related harms, and alcohol use disorder symptoms: a prospective cohort study’ by Richard P Mattick et al. published in the Lancet Public Health on Thursday 25 January 2018. 

Declared interests

Dr Ruth McGovern: “PHE commissioned/funded work: review of non-dependent parental substance use and it impact on children.”

Dr James Nicholls: “Alcohol Research UK merged with Alcohol Concern in March 2017.”