Study: Alcohol in Movies Encourages Adolescent Drinking

New research concludes that children who watched movies showing alcohol use were more likely to try alcoholic drinks compared to those who weren't exposed to such films, the Associated Press reported May 25.

Dartmouth Medical School researchers studied middle-school students in Vermont and New Hampshire. They found that those who frequently watched movies with scenes depicting alcohol use were three times more likely to drink than those with little exposure.

While other studies have examined the impact of alcohol advertising on a teenager's drinking behavior, this is the first study to analyze the influence of the entertainment industry.

Previous studies have found that drinking during early teen years is linked with alcohol misuse later on.

The findings were delivered at a recent research-conference session.