UK teenagers 'most likely in the world to get drunk' says report

Published on Tuesday 1 September 2009 22:07

BRITISH teenagers are more likely to get drunk than youngsters anywhere else in the industrialised world, an international survey has shown.

A report by the think-tank the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has stated that in the UK "drunkenness is the highest in the OECD, with one in three 13- and 15-year-olds having been drunk at least twice".

The figure is more than double the rate for countries such as the United States, France and Italy. UK girls in particular, it said, have been responsible for pushing up the level of drunkenness among 13-15-year-olds.

One-in-five 13-year-olds in the UK reports having been drunk twice – four times higher than countries such as the United States, Sweden and the Netherlands.

The report, Doing Better for Children, compares the wellbeing of young people living in the leading industrial economies. It says that, despite above-average state spending on teenagers as a whole, those at the lower end of the social spectrum still face severe challenges growing up in Britain.

The UK spends more than 90,000 per child from birth to the age of 18, above the OECD average of 80,000, but more than one-in-ten 15-19-year-olds are not in school, training or work, and educational results are "low relative to spending levels", the OECD said.

The UK performed worse than average in the study of overall child wellbeing, and was also poor in terms of risky behaviour, with high levels of under-age drinking and teenage pregnancy rates.

An OECD spokesman said: "The report concludes that the United Kingdom should spend more on younger, disadvantaged children.

"There have been some moves in this direction in the United Kingdom in recent years, and these are to be encouraged. But more could be done.

"Equally, the United Kingdom government should ensure that current high rates of spending on older children are much more effective in meeting the needs of the disadvantaged amongst them."

SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson said the details exposed in the report were "shameful" and called for support for Scottish Government proposals to introduce a minimum price for alcohol and to ensure licensing boards considered raising the age limit for off-sales of alcohol.

Mr Gibson said: "The level of youth drinking across the UK is shameful.

"While this report covers the UK as a whole, we know the level of youth drinking in Scotland is unacceptable and it cannot be allowed to continue.

"There is a real and urgent need to tackle Scotland's relationship with alcohol."

Mr Gibson said that government legislation curbing youth drinking was pivotal in tackling the problem."

The MSP went on: "Ending pocket-money prices for alcohol, where litres of cider can be bought for 3, is vital in addressing our problem with youth drinking."

YOUTH WELFARE

Worst drunkenness: UK

Highest rate of bullying: Turkey

Most affluent: Norway

Best education: Finland

Best local environment: Australia

Least exercise: Switzerland

Best housing: Norway

Least risk: Sweden

Highest suicide rate: New Zealand

Enjoy school most: Turkey

Enjoy school least: Czech Republic

Most separated parents: United States

Fewest separated parents: Italy