The study, one of the largest of its kind by the World Health Organization, looked at 2021/22 data from 280,000 children aged 11, 13 and 15 from 44 countries who were asked about their use of alcohol, cigarettes and vapes.
The analysis found the UK had a significant issue with underage alcohol abuse. More than a third of boys (35%) and girls (33%) had drunk alcohol by the age of 11. By 13, 57% of girls and 50% of boys in England had had alcohol, the highest rate in the analysis.
More than half of girls (55%) and boys (56%) in England from higherincome families said they had drunk alcohol in their lifetime, compared with 50% of girls and 39% of boys from lower-income backgrounds.
The analysis found that girls aged 13 and 15 in the UK were drinking, smoking and vaping more than boys the same age: 40% of girls in England and Scotland had vaped before 15, at a higher rate than in countries such as France and Germany.
This story is from the April 25, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the April 25, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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