Racy Movies Linked to Early Drinking

Watching R-rated movies may encourage kids to start drinking alcohol at an earlier age, a new study suggests. Researchers surveyed 3,600 middle-school children about their movie-watching habits, then followed up 2 years later with questions about alcohol consumption. Only 3% of those who were never allowed to watch R-rated movies said they had started drinking alcohol, HealthDay reports.

One-fifth of kids who reported being occasionally allowed to watch an R-rated movie said they had started drinking 2 years out of middle school, while 25% of those who said they watched movies for adults "all the time" had tried alcohol. "We think this is a very important aspect of parenting, and one that is often overlooked," said the lead researcher, noting that 90% of R-rated movies depict alcohol consumption.
(More R-rated stories.)