Whether or not we want to trust this information, new research released today indicates that teenager girls who binge drink regularly are more likely to develop weaker bones and to suffer osteoporosis in later life.
According to a new study published by Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs in the United States, binge drinking is classified as having four or more alcoholic drinks in two hours twice a month.
The team behind the study analyzed 87 college students, aged between 18 t0 20, who regularly drink were found to have lower spinal density than their sober students. Researchers accounted for other risks such as exercise, nutrition and smoking habits in their study.
Peak bone mass develops in women between 20 and 25. Osteoporosis is fragile bones that are susceptible to breaks.
Advertisement
According to lead researcher Joseph LaBrie, professor of psychology at Loyola Marymount University, this study "identifies potential lifetime consequences of binge drinking in young women".
Ireland tops the list of EU countries as the highest number of young binge drinkers. Research continues to indicate that the younger we drink the more problems we develop in later years and women are impacted more by binge drinking than men. So, are we ready to have a conversation about binge drinking?
