A major public health problem derives from the early onset of alcohol drinking. An early onset of drinking relates to an early onset of alcohol dependence and alcohol dependence in adulthood. Before the legal age of 21, 72% of adolescents have started drinking and 47%% have their first episode of alcohol dependence. Over 40% of adolescents who begin drinking 14 years or younger report lifetime alcohol dependence. This is in contrast to the 10% lifetime incidence of dependence in people will start drinking over age 21. There is a graded increase in the probability of alcohol dependence the earlier the individual begins alcohol use.
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There Is Early Age of Onset of Drinking and Early Age of 1st Dependence.
The peak age of onset of drinking is 18 and before the legal age to drink (age 21) 72% have started drinking and 47% of these have had their 1st episode of dependence. This indicates an association between early onset of drinking and early onset of dependence. * = Over age 21 (age started drinking) and over 30 (age 1st dependent) averaged to age 50.(Constructed from data in Hingson, R.W. et al. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 160: 739, 2006; Hingson, R.W. et al. Pediatrics, 118: e755, 2006) ©2008 NBEP
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Early first use relates to increased risk of dependence
First Alcohol Use in Early Adolescence Markedly Increases the Risk of Developing Dependence
Adolescents who take their first drink between 11 to 14 years of age have a 16% chance of developing dependence while individuals starting to drink at 14 or older results in only a 1% chance of developing dependence. Data from a community sample of 5,856 individuals surveyed in Ontario Canada in 1990-91. Starting to drink at age 10 or younger had a delayed progression to dependence but resulted in about the same cumulative probability as starting to drink at age 11 or 12 by 18-20 years later. Similar results were seen for alcohol abuse. # Unadjusted odds ratio, *p <.001. (Constructed from data in DeWit, D.J. et al. Am J Psychiatry, 157: 745, 2000) ©2008 NBEP
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Early drinking relates to dependence in both the short and long term
Early Age of First Drinking is Associated with Higher Prevalence of Alcohol Dependence in Short and Long Term
Almost half of those children who start drinking at age 14 or younger will develop alcohol dependence at some time in their life, whereas fewer than 1 in 10 people who start drinking at the legal age will ever become dependent.43,091 adults (18 years or older) participated in a structured diagnostic interview in which age of first drinking (excluding tastes and sips) and incidence/duration of dependence criteria was ascertained. A computer algorithm screened responses for diagnosis of alcohol dependence according to DSM-IV criteria. (Constructed from data in Hingson, R.W. et al. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 160: 739 - 746, 2006) ©2008 NBEP
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