Australians aged 15 to 19 are drinking significantly more alcohol than adults, say researchers.
They also found Australians generally are drinking more than they were in 2001 and, while women consume much less than men, the gap is narrowing.
Farhat Yusuf and Stephen Leeder, from the University of Sydney, pointed out their finding of an increased alcohol consumption trend contrasted with an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare survey that found a decline in recent years.
This may be because of methodological differences in the surveys, they say in their paper published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Professor Yusuf and Emeritus Professor Leeder compared data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics' national health surveys conducted in 2001 and 2011-2012.
The weighted average daily alcohol intake increased by 13 per cent between the two surveys, from a mean of 3.9 standard drinks in 2001 to 4.3.
Consumption among men increased from 4.7 to 5.0 standard drinks, and for women from 2.8 to 3.4.
Women had consumed 40 per cent less alcohol than men in 2001, but only 33 per cent less in 2011-12.
Data for 15- to 19-year-olds was not collected in 2001.
But the later survey revealed that 41.6 per cent had consumed alcohol during the week before the interview, compared with 60.1 per cent of those 18 years or older.
But the average daily consumption over the days recorded for the younger group was 7.1 standard drinks, compared with 4.3 for adults.
The data also revealed that tertiary qualifications, employment and white-collar occupations were associated with less alcohol consumption.
"Moreover, relatively disadvantaged people reported higher consumption levels, and they also spent a somewhat larger proportion of their household budget on alcohol."
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