Women beating men to the bottle, says survey

Women are drinking more than they were eight years ago, a study has found.

It also suggests a large percentage of underage drinkers are also problem drinkers.

The study, commissioned by the Alcohol Advisory Council, examined alcohol use of patients at 67 general medical practices in Auckland in 1995 and last year.

It found that binge drinking had increased among women aged 16 to 24, and problem drinking had risen for women in all age groups up to 60.

"The 2003 female scores for risky and problematic drinking were typically the same or higher than 1995 scores across all ages, with the trend of female levels moving towards that of males," said one of the researchers, Professor Ross McCormick.

Binge, risky and problem drinking had risen significantly among women aged 16 to 24, but not among males, he said.

Last year, women aged between 16 and 19 scored higher than their male counterparts had in 1995.

Possible reasons for the worsening of female drinking statistics - but not those of males - included a steady cultural change in alcohol use by women, the 1999 law liberalisation changes affecting young female behaviour more than males, possible easier access to alcohol for underage girls than underage boys, and reported rising alcopop use in young women, Professor McCormick said.

The survey also found one in every four 14- to 15-year-old Auckland girls and one in five boys was drinking at a risky or problem level.

But the researchers warned that findings on young drinkers had to be viewed with caution because of the relatively small sample size.

- NZPA