[Adolescents and alcohol: a survey in the city of Messina (Italy)].

Alcohol abuse represents a relevant social problem in industrialized countries. Italy has an age-long tradition of producing and drinking wine, a beverage which in moderate doses is considered to be part of the much appreciated "Mediterranean diet". However, drinking other alcoholic beverages is becoming increasingly common, especially among adolescents. In order to evaluate aspects of the "alcohol" phenomenon among adolescents in the city of Messina (Italy), an anonymous questionnaire was administered during school hours to 5,168 students aged 13 to 17 years. Results show that 989 (19.1%) students, of which 38.3% were females and 61.7% males, reported drinking alcohol. Beer was the preferred drink, followed by alcohol-containing aperitifs, spirits and wine. It was found that students begin drinking alcoholic beverages more regularly at 16 years of age and do so mainly during group encounters. Almost none of the interviewed students reported ever having been drunk, and for most students alcohol is considered to be dangerous only if drunk in excessive amounts (70.9% of females and 72.7% of males). Family habits were found to clearly influence students' degree of alcohol consumption. Information and education is needed by young adolescents regarding the responsible approach to alcoholic beverages.