Binge drinking among Dutch school students back to pre-pandemic levels

The number of school students who drink many glasses of alcohol in a row has returned to pre-coronavirus levels. At the time of the survey (in 2023), 18 percent of students had consumed at least five alcoholic drinks in one evening in the past month. That is approximately the same as in 2019. This is evident from research by the GGDs and the RIVM that the ANP requested.

The number of young binge drinkers varies greatly by region. The group is the largest in Twente at 29 percent. In that region, young people drink heavily in the municipalities of Tubbergen, Dinkelland, Oldenzaal, and Losser. This share is also higher than average in Friesland (26 percent) and Noord-Limburg (24 percent). At the bottom of the list are Flevoland and the Amsterdam region, with around 11 percent.

“A possible explanation lies in the fact that Twente has a large number of rural municipalities,” said a spokesperson for the GGD Twente about the high number of young binge drinkers in the region. “There is a culture among many young people from these municipalities that alcohol contributes to socializing.” The organization sees a role for parents. “We know from scientific studies that young people who see their parents drinking are more likely to start drinking alcohol themselves.” The number of adults in Twente who do not adhere to the Health Council’s alcohol consumption guideline (no or a maximum of 1 glass of alcohol per day) is also higher than in other places in the Netherlands.

The number of underage young people who drink a lot is “worryingly high,” said a spokesperson for the Dutch Institute for Alcohol Policy (STAP). “Binge drinking by young people and young adults is one of the most harmful forms of alcohol use. Despite the decline in alcohol use among young people, we see that certain providers are poorly complying with the law. Online sales of alcohol, in particular, are causing increasing concerns.”

These figures come from the Youth Health Monitor, a survey conducted once every two years. In 2013, 188,000 students from the second and fourth years of secondary school completed it.