Bingeing boomers put youth in shade

July 30, 2008

WHILE Australia's policy-makers focus on the binge-drinking activities of the nation's youth, it's baby boomers that nudge the bottle harder, a pharmaceutical company survey has found.

The latest GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Health Index has found almost 10 per cent of people aged 55 to 64 had 20 or more standard drinks in a week, compared to eight per cent of those aged 18 to 24.

But the survey found Australians were trying alcohol for the first time at a younger age.

Almost 11 per cent of the 18-to-24-year-olds surveyed said they were aged 12 or younger when they had their first alcoholic drink, while 42 per cent were between 12 and 15.

But only five per cent of 55- to 64-year-olds were aged 12 or younger and 17 per cent were aged between 12 and 15 at the time of their first tipple.
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