HHS HealthBeat (May 15, 2008)

Overpower underage drinking

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Teenagers who recognize persuasive alcohol advertising may be more likely to choose to refuse alcohol and resist peer pressure.

A study in the journal Addictive Behaviors found that in results from three years of data with 1,318 junior high students in New York City.

Seventh-graders who were able to identify the persuasive alcohol messages were more likely to resist peer pressure by the eighth grade.  By the ninth grade, these students’ likelihood to drink was significantly reduced.

Researcher Jennifer Epstein at Weill Cornell Medical College says:

“Teens need to get with it, and realize they can resist the apparently clean and healthy images shown in alcohol ads.”  (8 seconds)

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: May, 14 2008