One-third of 12-year-olds who said they had consumed alcohol within the past year said they got the drink from their parents, according to a new study from the University of Florida and University of Pennsylvania.

The Gainesville Sun reported April 18 that researchers surveyed 4,000 12- to 14-year-olds and found that 17 percent of the 12-year-olds said they had consumed a full alcoholic drink within the past year. Youths who just had a sip of alcohol or who took alcohol from home without their parents' knowledge were not included.

"This study clearly shows it's very important to educate parents about the consequences of the early onset of drinking, to try to prevent them from being a source of alcohol for their children," said lead researcher Kelli Komro of the University of Florida.

The study appears in the online edition of the journal Preventive Medicine.