DAD'S DRINKING PATTERN HOLDS CLUES ABOUT KIDS

The maximum number of drinks a father has ever consumed in a day can signal
certain behavioral and substance-abuse problems in the man's children, a
new study has found. The study, by researchers at the University of
Minnesota, examined whether a man's maximum alcohol consumption on one
occasion can predict such traits in his children independent of whether the
man is actually an alcoholic. The researchers focused on some 1,300 pairs
of twins in two age groups (roughly 11 and 17 years old), along with their
parents. Substance use data for the younger group were collected during a
follow-up when the children were about 14.

The fathers who drank the most in a 24-hour period were more likely to have
children with conduct disorders and who showed signs of nicotine, alcohol
or illegal-drug use, the researchers found. In addition, daughters of
alcoholic fathers were at greatest risk of a diagnosis of conduct disorder.

Asking about someone's peak alcohol consumption may actually reflect a
broader drinking history, the researchers note in the December issue of
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. "Although the question asks
about a single occasion, that occasion may well reflect a history of
excessive drinking or increased risk by virtue of decreased sensitivity to
alcohol."