Teenage girls in Britain outdrink boys by widest margin in Europe, study suggests

Teenage girls are outdrinking their male peers in the UK at a greater rate than any other European country, according to research.

- Emily Dugan

More than a third of 15-year-old girls in Britain report getting repeatedly drunk, compared with fewer than a quarter of boys the same age, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found.

While a higher proportion of girls in Denmark, Hungary and Italy admitted regular drunkenness than those in Britain, their rates were much closer to those of boys. For example, in Denmark 43% of girls admitted to getting drunk repeatedly, compared with 46% of boys. It is unclear why teenage girls appear more susceptible than boys to getting drunk, but it could be connected to marketing and trends among adults.

British women have the highest rate of binge drinking in the world, with more than a quarter consuming at least six alcoholic drinks in a single session at least once a month. British men are still much more likely to binge drink, with 45% having a boozy night at least once a month.