[Graphic News] UK tops global chart for child alcohol use

One in three 11-year-olds in England has tried alcohol (34 percent of girls, 35 percent of boys), according to a World Health Organization report, which warned it is a “serious public health threat” to the country.

The organization examined data from 280,000 children aged 11, 13, and 15 from 44 countries, and the England topped the list of child alcohol use. Romania, Slovenia and Greece also placed high on the list.

Even worse for the England, by the time children reach 13 years old, the figure rises to 57 percent of girls and 50 percent of boys, far exceeding the international average of 33 percent, according to the WHO.

Reacting to the alarming results, UK health expert Ian Gilmore told the Daily Mail that the earlier people start drinking alcohol, the more likely they are to develop alcohol-related problems later in life.

By Nam Kyung-don(don@heraldcorp.com)