Children offered a sip of their parents ’ wine at parties and social occasions are more likely to start drinking by their mid-teens , researchers warn . Children offered a sip of their parents ’ wine at parties and social occasions are more likely to start drinking by their mid-teens , researchers warn . A study has found that those who had sipped alcohol by the age of 11 were five times more likely to have had a full drink within a couple of years , and four times more likely to have binged or been drunk than peers who had not tasted alcohol at an early age . The study was carried out in the US where , say researchers , some parents try to lessen the taboo appeal of drinking by following the ‘ European model ’ of introducing young children to alcohol under supervision at home . Lead researcher Kristina Jackson , of Brown University in Rhode Island , said : ‘ Our study provides evidence to the contrary. ’ Previous research suggests parental attitudes are one of the most important factors involved in when teens start drinking . A survey of UK schoolchildren found witnessing drinking at home and seeing their parents get drunk raises the risk of children having an alcoholic drink by the age of 13 . In the American study , 561 Rhode Island middle-school students were surveyed periodically over three years . At the beginning of sixth grade – around the age of 11 – almost 30 per cent of pupils said they had sipped alcohol . In most cases , their parents provided it – often at a party or other special occasion . By the time the students reached the ages of 14 and 15 , one in four early ‘ sippers ’ said they had had a full alcoholic drink , compared with 6 per cent of those who had not . Almost one in ten of early sippers had got drunk or binged – compared with just under 2 per cent of ‘ non-sippers ’ , says a report in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs . Researchers accounted for several factors which influence under-age drinking , including parents ’ drinking habits and any history of alcoholism , as well as tendencies among the children to be impulsive and take risks . Even then there was still a connection between early sipping and risky drinking by high school , said Dr Jackson . She said it was possible little tastes of alcohol sent young children a mixed message because some may have difficulty understanding the difference between a sip of wine and having a full drink . She stressed parents should not be alarmed if they had already let their child have a taste of wine , adding : ‘ We ’ re not saying your child is doomed. ’ Dr Paul Wallace , of the charity Drinkaware , said : ‘ Alcohol can harm children while they are still developing which is why the UK chief medical officers say an alcohol-free childhood as the best option . ‘ It ’ s best to talk to your child about the risks associated with drinking . You have more influence than you might think. ’ One in five teenagers have bought or tried electronic cigarettes , a major British study has found . This includes many who had never smoked regular cigarettes . It is feared youngsters hooked on the nicotine in the devices will then move on to tobacco cigarettes , putting themselves at risk of lung cancer and other diseases . Experts warn that rather than being an aid to quitting smoking , e-cigarettes are increasingly seen as ‘ a recreational drug in their own right ’ . Professor Mark Bellis , of Liverpool John Moores University , surveyed 16,000 people aged 14 to 17 in the North West of England . A fifth said they had bought or tried e-cigarettes . More boys than girls had done so , and the rate increased among those from deprived areas , the journal BMC Public Health reports . Professor Bellis warned nicotine can affect younger brains more seriously .
UK researchers say some parents are introducing children to alcohol early . The idea is to lessen its taboo appeal by following the 'European model ' US study says kids are more likely to drink after seeing parents get drunk .