NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n A parent\u2019s drinking habits really do rub off on their children, a new study suggests.<\/p>\n Specific parenting interventions<\/a> can break the cycle of generational substance use, even if the parents don’t stop drinking themselves, according to researchers from the Federal University of S\u00e3o Paulo.<\/p>\n The study analyzed data from more than 4,200 Brazilian teens and their guardians, finding that parents’ drinking habits are a leading predictor of whether their teenagers will partake in alcohol or drugs.<\/p>\n COMMON DRINKING HABIT MAY QUIETLY TRIPLE RISK OF ADVANCED LIVER CONDITION<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n A parent\u2019s alcohol consumption<\/a> is associated with a 24% probability of their child drinking, and that risk escalates when multiple substances are involved, according to the study’s press release.\u00a0<\/p>\n When guardians use both alcohol and tobacco or vapes, the likelihood of their children following suit jumps to 28%. The findings were published in the scientific journal Addictive Behaviors.<\/p>\n A parent\u2019s alcohol consumption is associated with a 24% probability of their child drinking, and that risk escalates when multiple substances are involved.<\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The data was collected from 2023 to 2024 in four towns in Brazil<\/a>. The average age of the adolescents was 14.7 years, and the group included an even mix of boys and girls.<\/p>\n “With this study, we reinforce the fact that parents’ patterns of alcohol and other drug use<\/a> influence their children’s,” said lead author Zila Sanchez, a professor at the university, in the release.<\/p>\n GEN Z STILL DRINKS, JUST EARLIER AS THE \u2018DAYCAP\u2019 TREND BEGINS UPENDING NIGHTLIFE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The most effective form of prevention appears to be lead-by-example abstinence. When guardians opt not to drink, 89% of adolescents refrain from using alcohol or other drugs.<\/p>\n When guardians opt not to drink, 89% of adolescents refrain from using alcohol or other drugs.<\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Home environment also played a role in adolescent substance use<\/a>, as the researchers analyzed the effects of the following four parenting styles.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n “If they set rules and limits at home and show affection, these protective factors<\/a> greatly minimize the risk they themselves pose when they consume these substances,” Sanchez said.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n However, the researchers warned that affection isn’t a cure-all, and that if alcohol is framed as a universal coping mechanism<\/a>, a teenager is far more likely to adopt that behavior.<\/p>\n “When consumption is frequent and treated as something trivial, it translates into greater risk, regardless of the existing emotional bond,” Sanchez said.<\/p>\n While a parent\u2019s habits are the leading predictor of teen use, setting firm house rules can significantly minimize the risk, the study suggested.<\/span> (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The researchers noted some limitations of the study.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Because it analyzed a snapshot of data from one point in time, it shows a connection but cannot prove that parents\u2019 drinking caused the teens’ choices.<\/p>\n The data also relied on surveys from teenagers, who may have underreported their own use or misremembered their parents’ habits.<\/p>\n TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Additionally, because the study focused only on four towns in Brazil, the results may not reflect drinking cultures or family dynamics in other parts of the world<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Group](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1200\/675\/women-drinking-alcohol-menopause-hangovers.jpg?ve=1&tl=1\")
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