Kids in Valais drink more

The Health Observatory of canton Valais wanted to check the stereotype that young people in their canton drank more than the national average. The answer is yes.

In a survey covering 11 to 15 year olds, 28% said they had had alcohol in the month prior to being asked. The national average is 20%. 

23% of the said they had ‘binged’ – defined as more than 5 drinks in a row. The Swiss average is 18%. 

Professor Arnaud Chiolero, who ran the survey, says he’s not surprised at the result as drinking is higher in western Switzerland, which he says is down to the fact it’s a wine producing area.

Even so, the figures are down on the previous survey 20 years ago. Then 38% of under 15s said they’d had a drink in the previous month – that’s 10% more than now. 

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