Children in England are more likely to have drunk alcohol than those in any other country, a damning report reveals today.
The country’s children are also affected by alarmingly high rates of vaping and smoking, the World Health Organization warns.
It says more must be done to protect young people from these “toxic and dangerous products” and describes their use at such a young age as a “serious threat to public health”.
In one of the largest studies of its kind, the WHO examined data from 280,000 children aged 11, 13 and 15 from 44 countries who were asked about their use of cigarettes, vapes and alcohol.
It found that girls in England tend to drink, smoke and vape more than boys, while the country is at the top of the charts globally for children’s alcohol consumption.
More than one in three 11-year-olds in England (35 per cent of boys and 34 per cent of girls) have tried alcohol, more than any other country and more than double the global average. 15 percent.
By the time children turn 13, the figure in England has risen to more than half (50 per cent of boys and 57 per cent of girls), which is still the highest in the world and compares with an international average of one in three (33 percent).
Girls in England continue to lead boys at the age of 15, although five other countries rank higher at this point.
Furthermore, boys and girls in England aged 11, 13 and 15 are more likely than the global average to have drunk at least twice, meaning many do not drink in moderation.
The drunkenness rate among 15-year-old girls in England is more than one in three (34 per cent).
Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the UK’s Alcohol Health Alliance, said: “These findings are extremely worrying, especially the levels of 11 and 13-year-olds reporting drinking alcohol.”
“This goes directly against the Chief Medical Officer’s guidance which says that an alcohol-free childhood is the healthiest option and that children should not drink alcohol before the age of 15.
“The sooner a person starts drinking alcohol, the more likely they are to develop alcohol-related problems in the future.
“Alcohol consumption can also interfere with the physical and educational development of young people.”
Sir Ian blamed exposure to alcohol advertising for encouraging alcohol consumption at a young age and said it is “shocking” that children in the UK are more familiar with certain brands of beer than with biscuits, crisps and ice creams.
He added: “The government has introduced advertising regulations for other harmful products such as cigarettes and junk food – we urgently need a comparable approach for alcohol.”
The WHO survey covered young people living in Europe, Central Asia and Canada, and included more than 4,000 children in England.
It found that 40 per cent of girls and 26 per cent of boys in England had vaped by the age of 15, compared to a global average of 33 per cent and 31 per cent respectively.
Around 30 per cent of girls in England – almost one in three – have vaped in the last 30 days.
In England, more 15-year-old girls than boys have tried smoking (28 per cent vs 16 per cent) and the rate among girls is higher than the world average (26 per cent).
Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said the widespread use of harmful substances among children “is a serious threat to public health.”
He added: ‘Taking into account that the brain continues to develop until a person’s 20s, it is necessary to protect adolescents from the effects of toxic and dangerous products.
“Unfortunately, children today are constantly exposed to online marketing aimed at harmful products, while popular culture, such as video games, normalizes them.”
Dr Jo Inchley, international coordinator of the study, Health Behavior In School-Aged Children, from the University of Glasgow, said it was “really quite worrying” that “England has been at the top of the charts for 11 and 13 years.” . -years of age with regard to alcohol consumption’.
He added: “We are seeing really high levels of early initiation of alcohol consumption among boys and girls in England.
“I don’t really know why it’s so much higher than in other countries, but it’s certainly something we need to look at and address.”
Anne Longfield, chair of the Center for Young Life and former Children’s Commissioner, said: “We should be alarmed by the growing number of young people taking up vaping, our position at the top of the league for children’s alcohol consumption and its impact on health, development and the additional strain it will bring to the NHS.
“The Wild West era where vaping companies were allowed to do whatever they wanted must end.”
A government spokesperson said: ‘The health advice is clear: underage smoking, vaping and drinking can be harmful to young people and their development.
‘That is why there are age restrictions for the sale of these products.
‘As a Government, we are creating the UK’s first smoke-free generation.
“Our landmark tobacco and e-cigarettes bill will criminalize the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009 and includes powers to limit flavours, packaging and displays of e-cigarettes to reduce their appeal for the children.”