A doctor advises that parents should not allow young children to drink alcohol at home.
Dr Aric Sigman, a health professor, suggests that British law needs to be updated to prevent youngsters from getting a taste of booze at family gatherings and parties.
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For children aged 5-17, it is legal to have a drink in a private residence.
But Dr Sigman warns they are more likely to be addicted in adulthood.
This increases the risk of serious health problems, such as liver disease, cancer, and damage to their heart and brain.
Dr Sigman said: “A significant proportion of parents here and in other European countries allow – and even encourage – their young adolescents to drink alcohol, believing that it will teach them responsible use.
“But alcohol use during the teenage years is related to a wide range of health and social problems.”
Figures show one in seven UK kids have their first tipple before the age of 11 – while they are still at primary school.
According to Drinkaware, 70% of people have had a drink by the age 15 according to Drinkaware.
Brighton-based Dr Sigman, who wrote in Archives of Disease in Childhood said that many people still believe in the idea. “French family drinking myth”.
This idea is that children should be given a small amount of alcohol when they’re young to prevent them from becoming too drunk later in life.
He stated: “While some may believe that the traditional French ‘Mediterranean’ approach has helped France avoid significant alcohol-related problems, the World Health Organization reported that alcohol consumption is higher and years of life lost is higher in France than in the UK.”
Britain’s health bosses urge parents to warn their children about the dangers of alcohol before they allow them to have it.
NHS guidelines say: “If children do drink alcohol, they should not do so until they’re at least 15 years old.
“If 15 to 17 year olds drink alcohol, it should be rarely, and never more than once a week.
“They should always be supervised by a parent or carer.”