Forschungsergebnisse / Research results
24.01.2006 (forsc101.htm)
Source/Quelle:
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EU
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Authors/Verfasser:
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Theme/Thema:
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The
ESPAD study on Alcohol
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Link to EUROPA - Public Health - Lifestyle - Alcohol
Alcohol consumption
Prevalence of alcohol consumption 40 times or more in lifetime is
presented in the summary tables.
They also contain the 30 days prevalence of alcohol consumption 10
times or more, as well as the 30 days prevalence of consuming beer,
wine and spirits 3 times or more.
In two thirds of the ESPAD countries the vast majority (90% or
more) of the students have drank alcohol at least once in their
lifetime. However, these students do not all drink on a regular
basis. A student who has been drinking at least 40 times can be
labelled as more of a regular consumer. The prevalence rates of
this frequency of drinking are much lower than the total lifetime
prevalence. The highest rates reporting use of alcohol 40 times or
more in lifetime are primarily found in the same countries as
reported the highest lifetime figures. They include Denmark,
Austria, the Czech Republic, Isle of Man, the Netherlands and the
United Kingdom (43–50%). The lowest proportion is reported from
Turkey (7%) followed by Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Portugal
(13–15%).
More boys than girls report this level of alcohol consumption. In
a few countries, Isle of Man, Finland and Norway, the gender
distribution is about equal. However, no country reports
prevalence rates among girls that exceed those of the boys. A
higher frequency of alcohol use is revealed among students who had
consumed alcohol 10 times or more during the last 30 days, i.e. at
least every third day on average. About one quarter of the
students in the Netherlands (25%) and about one fifth of the
respondents in Austria, Belgium, Malta and the United Kingdom
(17–21%) reported this frequency of alcohol use. In some
countries, this drinking frequency is hardly reported at all.
Proportions of 3% or less were found in Finland, Greenland,
Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Thus, the very low prevalence rates
are mainly concentrated to the Nordic countries. Many students
report rather frequent beer consumption. The percentages of
students who had consumed beer 3 times or more during the last 30
days varies between 10 and 44%. The highest figures are found in
Denmark, Bulgaria, the Netherlands and Poland (40–44%). The
smallest proportions were reported from Norway and Turkey (14 and
10% respectively). Other countries where less than 20% had
consumed beer that often include Finland, Hungary, Iceland and
Portugal. Drinking beer is a predominantly male behaviour in most
ESPAD countries.
The only exceptions are two countries in the North Atlantic,
Greenland and Iceland, where almost equal proportions of girls and
boys report frequent beer drinking. A smaller number of students
had been drinking wine than beer during the last 30 days. The
proportions of students reporting a wine consumption frequency of
3 times or more during last 30 days are in most cases lower than
20%. However, one country stands out in this respect, as one third
(35%) of the students in Malta reported this frequency of wine
drinking. Other high prevalence countries include Austria, the
Czech Republic, Greece, Italy and Slovenia (21–23%). The lowest
proportions that reported this frequency of wine consumption are
found in Finland, Iceland, Norway and Turkey (5% or less).
The number of students who had been drinking spirits during the
last 30 days vary considerably between the ESPAD countries. This
holds true also when looking at the number of students who had
been drinking 3 times or more during last month. The British Isles
are at the top but also two Mediterranean countries. The highest
proportion is found in Malta, where 43% of the students reported
this frequency of spirits consumption. The countries that come
next include the Faroe Islands, Greece, Ireland, Isle of Man and
the United Kingdom (37–39%).
In about half of the countries, more boys than girls report such
frequent consumption of spirits. However, almost the same number
of countries report prevalence rates that are equal or almost
equal between the sexes. Only three countries report proportions
among the girls that exceed those of the boys. These countries are
all high frequency countries and they are all parts of the British
Isles, i.e. Ireland, Isle of Man and the United Kingdom.
Drunkenness
Lifetime prevalence of having been drunk 20 times or more and the
30 days prevalence of being drunk 3 times or more are presented in
the summary tables.
Some students have a rather limited experience of getting drunk,
while others get intoxicated more frequently. However, in 30 of
the 35 countries studied a majority of the students have been
drunk at least once. The countries with the highest percentages
indicating that they had been drunk 20 times or more in lifetime
include Denmark, Ireland, Isle of Man, the United Kingdom, Estonia
and Finland (26–36%). In other countries only a few report this
frequency of drunkenness. In Turkey only 1% had been drunk 20
times or more and in Cyprus, France, Greece, Portugal and Romania
this was reported by about 3% of the students.
In a majority of the countries there are more boys than girls that
report this frequency of intoxication. In no country are the girls
in majority. However, in relatively many countries the gender
distribution is rather even. These countries include both the
British Isles and most of the Nordic countries (Finland, the Faroe
Islands, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Norway, Sweden and the
United Kingdom).
The number of students who have been drunk 3 times or more during
the last 30 days is of course much smaller, but the highest ranked
countries are in most cases the same. Thus, in Denmark and Ireland
about one fourth of the students had been drunk that often. Other
countries with high prevalence rates include Isle of Man and the
United Kingdom (23 % each).
However, in about half of the ESPAD countries the number of
students reporting this frequency of intoxication is 10% or less.
The lowest figures are reported from Cyprus, France, Greece,
Portugal and Turkey (1–3%).
Binge drinking
The frequency of having 5 or more drinks in a row, sometimes
referred to as “binge drinking”, provides an alternative
measure of heavy alcohol use. The proportion indicating such
consumption 3 times or more during the last 30 days vary
considerably over the ESPAD countries. This is reported by one
fifth to one third of the students in about half of the ESPAD
countries.
The highest number of students reporting this behaviour is found
in Denmark, Ireland, Isle of Man, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway
and the United Kingdom (24–32%). Thus, there is a concentration
of countries to the northern and western parts of Europe with
Malta as the only exception. Countries with the lowest binge
drinking figures are Cyprus, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Poland, Romania and Turkey (5–11%).
Datas
See Selected
variables on tobacco, alcohol and drug consumption. Boys
See Selected
variables on tobacco, alcohol and drug consumption. Girls
See Selected
variables on tobacco, alcohol and drug consumption. All students
See Changes
between 1999 and 2003 in lifetime use of any alcoholic beverages
40 times or more
See Changes
between 1999 and 2003 in the proportion who have been drunk 20
times or more in lifetime |
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