An Australian study has found that parents who give their kids alcohol are actually increasing the risk that they will binge drink in their teenage years.

While parents believe they are helping their kids avoid abusing alcohol with their friends by giving them alcohol, there is no evidence of this. In fact a study of 2000 adolescents between 12 and 18 years old found that teenagers whose parents gave them alcohol are twice as likely to access alcohol through other sources and binge drink.

Researchers found that teenagers who were given alcohol by their parents were 95 per cent more likely to binge drink.

Parents are advised to avoid supplying their teenagers with alcohol.