Drinking patterns among young people
Sixty percent of secondary school students drink alcohol regularly, according to the Youth '07 survey. The proportion increases by age. Just over a third of 13 year olds drink, but by age 17, 75 per cent are drinkers.
Of the 16 and 17 year olds who are currently drinkers, more than 30 per cent drink once a week or more.
The amount of alcohol drunk by secondary school students is high. 50 per cent of the males and 40 per cent of the females who are current drinkers report drinking more than 5 drinks in a usual drinking session. Binge drinking (drinking more than 5 drinks within 4 hours) in the four weeks prior to the survey was reported by 34 per cent of the students in the survey.
Binge drinking is highest among rural youth (42 per cent) and those 16 and over (47 to 52 percent).
Parents (54 per cent) and friends (53 per cent) are the most common source of alcohol for those who currently drink.
35 per cent of young people think it is OK to drink alcohol regularly.
Source: “Youth '07”: Survey of the Health and Wellbeing of New Zealand Secondary School Students. University of Auckland (2008)
