Mason Delacroix
Alcohol consumption is a significant issue in the EU, with Europeans consuming an average of 9.2 litres of pure alcohol per year, making them the world's biggest drinkers. In 2019, 8.4% of the EU adult population consumed alcohol daily, with Portugal, Spain, and Italy having the highest share of daily drinkers. While the prevalence of drinking varies across EU countries, the harmful use of alcohol is determined not only by volume but also by frequency. Heavy episodic drinking, defined as consuming 60 grams or more of pure alcohol on a single occasion, is a major public health concern and is linked to various negative outcomes, including health risks, crime, road incidents, and alcohol dependence. Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) affect more than one in eleven adults in the WHO European Region, with men having a higher prevalence of alcohol dependence than women. The EU is taking initiatives to address alcohol-related harm, but the impact of alcohol consumption on health and social well-being remains a pressing issue.
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What You'll Learn
Alcohol consumption by country
Alcohol consumption varies greatly between countries and is influenced by factors such as laws, culture, and religion. The World Health Organization (WHO) records each country's alcohol consumption in litres of pure alcohol for all beer, wine, spirits, and other alcoholic drinks. While most countries across Europe use a 10-gram metric to define a unit of alcohol, this can vary, with some countries adopting 12 or 14 grams per unit.
Portugal has the highest rate of daily alcohol consumption in the EU, with around 20% of the population drinking every day. This is followed by Spain at 13% and Italy at 12.1%. In contrast, daily alcohol consumption is lowest in Lithuania and Latvia, with around 1% of the population drinking alcohol daily.
When it comes to weekly alcohol consumption, almost half of the population in the Netherlands (47.3%) consumes alcohol on a weekly basis, followed by Luxembourg (43.1%) and Belgium (40.8%). Over 40% of the population in Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom reported drinking alcohol every week.
Monthly alcohol consumption is highest in Lithuania, Latvia, and Cyprus. Portugal, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Croatia have the lowest monthly consumption rates, with less than one-fifth of the population drinking alcohol every month.
Heavy episodic drinking, defined as ingesting more than 60 grams of pure ethanol on a single occasion, varies across the EU. Denmark has the highest rate, with 38% of adults engaging in heavy drinking episodes at least once a month. Romania, Luxembourg, and Belgium also have high proportions of heavy episodic drinking.
While specific data on alcohol addiction or alcoholism by country is limited, it is known that the prevalence of alcohol dependence is typically higher in men than in women across all countries. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcoholism, characterised by excessive drinking and preoccupation with alcohol, vary by country and are not solely determined by overall consumption rates. Eastern Europe has higher rates of premature deaths caused by alcohol, indicating a higher prevalence of alcohol-related issues in the region.
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Alcohol-related harm
The harmful use of alcohol is determined not only by volume but also by drinking frequency. Binge drinking, or heavy episodic drinking, defined as consuming over 60 grams of pure ethanol on a single occasion, is a major public health concern. It has adverse effects on individual well-being, social behaviour, and mental health. Among EU adults who drink, one in five engages in heavy drinking at least once a month, with the highest proportion found in Denmark at 38%.
Alcohol consumption, especially in excess, is linked to numerous negative outcomes. It is a risk factor for various diseases and health issues, including alcohol use disorder (AUD), which encompasses mental and physical health problems. Alcohol dependence can lead to both direct and indirect deaths, with a tenfold increase in the relative risk of suicide for individuals with alcohol dependence compared to those without. Additionally, alcohol is a contributing factor in crime and road incidents, with impaired road users having a significantly higher risk of crashes.
To address alcohol-related harm, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the SAFER initiative in 2018. SAFER stands for the five most cost-effective interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm, including alcohol taxation and pricing policies, and restrictions on commercial and public availability. These strategies aim to reduce harmful alcohol use, prevent access by vulnerable groups, and decrease road incidents caused by drunk driving. Additionally, organisations like Alcohol Focus Scotland work to reduce alcohol-related harm through training, advocacy, and addressing the impact of alcohol marketing on children and young people.
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Alcohol dependence
The prevalence of alcohol dependence varies across European countries, with patterns of drinking influenced by cultural and social factors. In 2019, 8.4% of the EU adult population consumed alcohol daily, with the highest rates observed in Portugal (20.7%), Spain (13.0%), and Italy (12.1%). Weekly alcohol consumption was also common, with nearly half of the population in the Netherlands (47.3%) and Luxembourg (43.1%) drinking on a weekly basis.
Heavy episodic drinking, defined as ingesting more than 60 grams of pure ethanol on a single occasion, is a particular concern in some EU countries. Denmark reported the highest proportion of adults engaging in heavy drinking episodes at least once a month (38%), while Cyprus and Italy had the lowest rates (4%). Binge drinking on a single occasion can have adverse consequences on an individual's well-being, social behaviour, and mental health.
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a common medical condition associated with alcohol dependence. Individuals with AUD may experience an increased tolerance to alcohol, requiring more alcohol to achieve the desired effect. They may also spend a significant amount of time thinking about alcohol and engaging in activities necessary to obtain or recover from its effects. Treatment for AUD typically includes medication and behavioural therapy, with a focus on reducing alcohol consumption or achieving abstinence.
The harmful use of alcohol can lead to a range of negative outcomes, including health problems, crime, and road incidents. It is a risk factor for various diseases and mental health issues, including suicide. It is important to seek professional help if concerned about alcohol dependence, as sudden cessation can result in severe withdrawal symptoms such as delirium tremens (DT), which can be life-threatening.
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Alcohol-related deaths
Alcohol is the leading cause of death in Europe, with almost 800,000 deaths per year, or 2,200 deaths per day, accounting for nearly 9% of all deaths in the region. The WHO European Region experiences one-third of the world's alcohol-attributable deaths, with cardiovascular diseases, cancers, digestive diseases, and injuries being the leading causes of alcohol-related deaths. The EU is the heaviest-drinking area globally, with seven of the top ten countries with the highest per-capita alcohol consumption located within the EU.
The harmful use of alcohol is determined not only by volume but also by frequency of drinking. Binge drinking on a single occasion is a major public health concern, as it has adverse consequences on an individual's well-being, social behaviour, and mental health. Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are a range of conditions where drinking causes harm to physical or mental health or leads to serious problems in daily life. AUDs have significant effects on people's health and well-being, and alcohol dependence is the most severe form. In the WHO European Region, more than one in every eleven adults experiences alcohol use disorders, and the prevalence of AUDs is closely related to the per-capita alcohol consumption of a country.
Alcohol consumption is causally linked to over 200 health conditions, including liver disease, road injuries, violence, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, suicides, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. The economic costs of alcohol to society are also significant, including healthcare expenses, losses in workplace productivity, legal and crime-related expenses, and increased social service expenditures. Alcohol consumption undermines commitments to achieve at least 13 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, impacting a range of health, economic, social development, environmental, and equality indicators.
Public health strategies that aim to reduce overall alcohol consumption, such as increasing alcohol taxes, regulating availability, and limiting alcohol marketing, can help address the negative impacts of alcohol consumption. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have successfully reduced consumption, harm, and increased life expectancy by implementing population-level control policies. However, despite the clear evidence of harm, many European countries are not implementing the WHO recommendations.
While drinking patterns vary across EU countries, heavy episodic drinking is more prevalent among men, individuals with higher incomes and educational attainment, and younger adults. In 2014, one in five of those who drank alcohol in the EU had an episode of heavy drinking at least once a month, and this proportion increased to one in four in 2019. Daily alcohol consumption was found to increase with age, with the lowest share among those aged 15 to 24 (1%) and the highest among those aged 75 and over (16%).
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Gender differences in alcohol consumption
Alcohol consumption is a major public health concern, as it is linked to a number of negative outcomes, including health issues, crime, road incidents, and alcohol dependence. While alcohol consumption and its harmful effects are prevalent across the globe, Europe has a higher rate of alcohol intake than other regions.
When it comes to gender differences in alcohol consumption, there are several notable patterns and trends. Firstly, in all countries, men generally consume more alcohol than women, and they also account for more alcohol-related harms to themselves and others. Globally, in 2016, 54% of males aged 15 and older consumed alcohol, compared to 32% of females in the same age group. This gender gap in alcohol consumption varies across countries and cultures, influenced by factors such as culturally prescribed gender roles. For example, the male-to-female ratio for current drinking is 1:1 in Norway, while it is 12.3:1 in India.
In European countries, there are clear gender differences in drinking measures such as abstention, frequency, and volume of drinking, except for wine drinking. The differences between genders tend to be smaller in Northern Europe. While gender ratios do not show consistent changes with age, there is some variation between younger and older adults. Young men and women show less variation in the frequency of heavy episodic drinking compared to older men and women.
In the EU specifically, men are more likely to consume alcohol daily and weekly than women. Countries like Portugal, Spain, and Italy have higher daily alcohol intake, while Lithuania and Latvia have the lowest. The largest gender gaps in daily consumption are found in Portugal, Spain, and Cyprus. Heavy episodic drinking, defined as ingesting more than 60g of pure ethanol on a single occasion, is more prevalent among men in the EU. Denmark, Romania, and Luxembourg have the highest rates of heavy drinking episodes, with a significant majority engaging in this behaviour monthly.
While males generally outpace females in alcohol consumption and problematic drinking, the gender gap has been narrowing over time. In the United States, for example, there has been a convergence in drinking habits between males and females since the end of Prohibition. The number of women aged 18 and older who drink annually has increased, while the number of men in this age group has slightly decreased. Similarly, the number of women who binge drink has increased at a higher rate than men. These trends suggest a shift in gender-specific drinking patterns, with the differences becoming less pronounced over time.
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Frequently asked questions
In 2019, 8.4% of the EU adult population consumed alcohol daily, with the share of daily drinkers increasing with age. In 2014, one in eleven persons in the EU consumed alcohol on a daily basis.
In 2021, Portugal had the highest share of daily drinkers at 20.7%, followed by Spain (13.0%) and Italy (12.1%).
According to the latest data, one in ten people in the EU has an alcohol use disorder, and almost six per cent live with alcohol dependence. However, it's important to note that the definition of "addiction" may vary and depends on multiple factors.
Alcohol consumption is causally linked to over 200 health conditions, including liver diseases, road injuries, violence, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, suicides, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. It is also linked to mental health issues and increased risk of depression, anxiety, and mood swings.
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