Kids Who 'Sip' Alcohol May Start Drinking Earlier

As kids get older, they may develop a curiosity for the glass of wine that's in mom or dad's hand, and ask for a sip now and then. Though in their younger years they not have a taste for it, a new study shows that kids who "sip" alcohol may be more likely than their peers to start drinking earlier.

Researchers found that, of 561 students in a long-term study, those who'd sipped alcohol by 6th grade were five times more likely than their classmates to down a full drink by the time they were in high school. Also, they were four times more likely to have binged or been drunk.

However, even so, the findings do not conclusively prove that early sips of alcohol are to blame.

"We're not trying to say whether it's 'OK' or 'not OK' for parents to allow this," lead researcher Kristina Jackson, of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University, said in a press release.

Still, some parents do believe in the "European model"- the idea that introducing kids to alcohol in the confines of their home will teach them about responsible drinking and lessen the appeal of drinking.

"Our study provides evidence to the contrary," Jackson noted.

The findings are based a large group of middle school students who were surveyed periodically over three years. At the beginning of 6th grade (around age 11), nearly 30 percent of students said they'd already sipped alcohol - most of the time at a party or other special occasion, provided by their parents.

And yet, even just by occasionally tasting, by ninth grade 26 percent of those early "sippers" said they had had a full alcoholic drink - that's compared to less than six percent of their peers. What's more, nine percent had either gotten drunk or binged compare to under two percent of "nonsippers."

So what is it about sipping alcohol that makes it so appealing at a younger age? According to Jackson, it's possible that those little tastes of alcohol send young kids a "mixed message."

"At that age, some kids may have difficulty understanding the difference between a sip of wine and having a full beer," she explained.

The results, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, highlight the importance of talking to your kids about the dangers of alcohol and providing them with clear, consistent messages.

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