A systematic review of adolescent alcohol-related harm trends in high-income countries with declines in adolescent consumption
Adolescent alcohol consumption decreased in high-income countries during the 2000s and 2010s. While evidence for declining consumption is clear, there has been less research tracking trends in alcohol-related harms. This article reviewed trends in adolescent (10–19 years) alcohol-related harms in high-income countries where a decline in consumption had occurred and investigated sex-based differences in trends.
The research found alcohol-related harms for young people have generally declined in countries where youth drinking has fallen, although the declines in harm have been smaller than the declines in drinking.
More specifically:
- Declines in alcohol-related harm were strongest in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, followed by North America.
- For many countries, alcohol-related harms have decreased since 2005, following trends in declining consumption. This evidence was strongest in Anglosphere countries, where 62% indicated declines, followed by North America, where declines were present in 36% of studies.
- Trends from mainland Europe were contradictory, with 31% indicating decreases in harms. Increases in harms for some female and student populations were reported in some jurisdictions.
Citation:
Vieira E, Taylor N, Stevely A, Pennay A, Raninen J, Holmes J, et al. A systematic review of adolescent alcohol-related harm trends in high-income countries with declines in adolescent consumption. Addiction. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70026
