2025-10-02 13:24:19

Teenagers with lower IQs may be more likely to develop alcohol problems in adulthood.

Writing in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, Swedish scientists from Linkoping University tracked nearly 600,000 boys born between 1950 and 1962, following them over six decades.

They found that 18-year-olds who performed poorly on cognitive tests had a 64 per cent higher lifetime risk of developing alcohol use disorder.

Even after accounting for family history, the increased risk stood at 43 per cent.

By contrast, those with higher IQs were 40 per cent less likely to develop issues with alcohol.

Within families, siblings with lower IQ scores were still found to be at greater risk.

The researchers wrote: “This suggests that the association between IQ and alcohol use disorder risk cannot be fully explained by socioeconomic disadvantage.”

Experts said the findings underline the importance of considering “cognitive traits” alongside lifestyle factors when tackling alcohol abuse.

According to the World Health Organization, alcohol causes around three million deaths worldwide each year.

The National Help Service (NHS) advises adults not to exceed 14 units of alcohol per week – about six pints of beer or six glasses of wine.

Visit Bang Bizarre (main website)