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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Drinking before the age of 15 significantly increases ones risk of developing an alcohol-related disorder later in life, new research shows.
Researchers looked at the relationship between age at first drink (AFD) and the risk of developing alcohol-use disorders (AUDs) during adulthood and found the risk is greatest when AFD falls before the age of 15. Although previous research has connected AFD with adult-onset alcohol problems, the study is the first to draw the line at a certain age.
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The data support the notion of delaying the onset of drinking behavior as late as possible as an important principle for the prevention of AUDs later in life, Howard B. Moss, M.D., associate director for Clinical and Translational Research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, was quoted as saying. More specifically, these findings provide the scientific basis of those prevention programs that focus on decreasing underage drinking, as well as supporting those public-health policies that are geared towards the prevention of underage drinking.
In the United States, about one in every 12 adults abuse alcohol or are alcohol dependent, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
SOURCE: Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, published online September 29, 2008
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