Teenagers whose parents gave them alcohol are three times more likely to develop into heavy drinkers, a new study has found.
According to the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of New South Wales, parents who introduced their children to alcohol at an early age risked tripling their likelihood of developing a drinking habit in their late teenage years.
"A lot of parents arguably or reportedly say they're doing it so they can teach responsible drinking," Professor Richard Mattick of the research facility told ABC News.
"But we're just finding that rather than moderating drinking, kids are drinking more...the evidence suggests that if you are trying to moderate their drinking, giving them alcohol actually does the reverse."
Mattick also explained that a "permissive attitude" towards drinking could create a mindset amongst kids that they could consume as much as they liked.
"It shouldn't surprise us that a permissive attitude is one that makes the kids think that, 'Well it's OK to drink, so then, well, I can drink more'," he said.
The Australian Christian Lobby has previously expressed concern about the growing culture of binge drinking, particularly amongst young people.
Earlier this year, the group called on communities to be "far more intentional" about modelling moderate and safe consumption of alcohol.
The study involved surveying the drinking habits of almost 2000 families over a four year period.