Are male or female school students aged 12-17 years more likely to consume 5+ standard drinks on a single occasion?
In 2022/23 among Australian school students aged 12-17 years, there were no significant differences in the proportion of male and female students who drank 5+ standard drinks on a single occasion.
In 2022-23, 29% of male school students aged 12-17 years who drank alcohol in the past two weeks consumed 5+ standard drinks on a single occasion, compared to 32% of female school students.
Source: Scully, M, Koh, I, Bain, E, Wakefield, M, & Durkin, S (2023). ASSAD 2022-23: Australian secondary school students' use of alcohol and other substances. Cancer Council Victoria, Australia.
Please note: This FAQ uses data from the Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drug Survey, in which differences were considered significant at p<.01.
Consuming 5+ standard drinks per day (or 11+ standard drinks per week) is considered to be “risky consumption” for adults in the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol. According to these guidelines the consumption of any alcohol by people under the age of 18 places them at risk of harm.