Children are at risk from the growing culture of drinking in the UK. Professor Moira Plant looks at the range of possible effects.

Alcohol has been part of the UK culture for centuries, with men more likely than women to experience alcohol-related problems, both psycho-social and physical. This remains the case. However, while drinking by British men has stabilised since the 1980s, consumption levels among women - particularly young women - has continued to rise.

In 2000, a survey of women and men in Scotland, England and Wales showed that 8 per cent of the 18- to 24-year-old women reported drinking at least 35 units* of alcohol in the previous week (Plant et al 2002) - a drinking level defined as 'high risk' by the UK Government. Other large-scale studies have reported similar findings (Office for National Statistics, 2006).

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