- Alcohol consumption in the OECD averaged 9 litres of pure alcohol per person per year, equivalent to almost 100 bottles of wine. This figure is driven by the sizeable share of heavy drinkers: 30% of men and 12% of women binge-drink at least once per month.
- In 13 OECD countries alcohol consumption has increased since 2000, most notably in Belgium, Iceland, Latvia and Poland.
- Excessive alcohol consumption is also a considerable health burden, associated to increased risk for a range of illnesses, including cancer, stroke, liver disease, as well as social problems, with an estimated 2.3m deaths per year.
- A recent OECD report found that in general better educated women were more likely to drink excessively, though the opposite held true for men. At the same time, alcohol-related harm is more prevalent among less educated and low-income groups, partly because of multiple comorbidities (coexisting risk factors) and lower access to health care.
- International comparison of adults:
- International comparison of teenagers:
Source: www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/download/8117301e.pdf?expires=1510318090