[Children and alcohol. A study in the school milieu]

Epidemiologic studies have consistently found that use of alcohol is increasing among teenagers and that children who have their first drink before the age of ten years are at increased risk for alcohol use during adolescence. In this study, a questionnaire was completed by 351 children (185 boys and 166 girls) aged 7 to 11 years in eight different schools in the Lille area (northern France). Most respondents (70.8%) reported previous experience with alcoholic beverages. Regular use of alcohol was reported by 8.7% of respondents and at least one episode of acute over-drinking by 23.6%. Attitudes towards alcohol and reasons for alcohol use varied across age groups. Use of alcohol produced guilt in the youngest children but was viewed as normal in the older age groups. Although some awareness of alcohol-related hazards was found, misconceptions were common. Use of alcohol was related to age and awareness: among the younger children, the level of awareness was significantly higher in regular users than in non-users, whereas the opposite was true in the older respondents. A positive correlation was found between current alcohol use and the children's predictions of future use. These data highlight the value of epidemiologic surveys for developing strategies aimed at preventing alcohol use in youngsters.