British teenage girls outdrink boys of the same age, study finds
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More than a third of 15-year-old girls are repeatedly drunk, compared with less than a quarter of boys, according to OECD research. Teenage girls are outdrinking their male peers in the UK at a greater rate than in any other European country, according to research.
More than a third of 15-year-old girls in the UK report getting repeatedly drunk, compared with less than a quarter of boys the same age, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found. While a higher proportion of girls in Denmark, Hungry and Italy admitted regular drunkenness than those in the UK, their rates were much closer to those of boys. For example, in Denmark 43% of girls admitted to getting drunk repeatedly, compared with 46% of boys.
It is unclear why teenage girls appear more susceptible than boys to getting drunk regularly, but it could be connected to marketing and trends among adults. British women have the highest rate of binge drinking in the world, with more than a quarter consuming at least six alcoholic drinks in a single session at least once a month. British men are still much more likely to binge drink, with 45% having a boozy night at least once a month.
Dr Anna Symonds, a clinical psychologist who works with young people, said she thought anxiety and low mood might be a factor in the findings. Britain scored lowest for life satisfaction among teenagers in Europe in research published last year, with girls particularly affected.
This “happiness recession” could be having an effect on teenage drinking habits, according to Symonds. She said it was possible there was a link “between girls experiencing higher levels of anxiety and social anxiety and using alcohol that way”.
