Alcohol consumption increased the most in middle-income and low-income regions, such as China, India, and Vietnam; however, it decreased across Europe, which once had the highest consumption levels. Many of the countries listed lie within some of the coldest regions on earth. The highest rates can be seen in countries like Belarus, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Ireland, and France. The United States shies in comparison with 8.7 liters of pure alcohol consumed per year, equivalent to 29 handles of vodka. The long-living country had one of the lowest levels of wine consumption and levels of beer consumption that remained well below average, and overall consumed about one liter less of pure alcohol than the average. Every topic from where the most expensive beer is sold in the world to where it is cheapest is fair game. The trends here likely are no cause of alarm, and more research needs to be done to concretely define the effects of a high per capita alcohol consumption on a country. We need to note here that we are not discussing rates of alcoholism, which is an addiction to the consumption of alcohol, but rather the average consumption of alcohol within a country. Alcohol’s effects can be detrimental or benign, depending on how responsibly it is consumed. The trend is expected to continue through 2030 when Europe no longer has the highest alcohol consumption rates. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2020 worldatlas.com, Countries With The Highest Levels Of Soft Drink Consumption. The consumption of alcohol in each country varies greatly and is affected by each country's … In the United States, 5.48% of males and 1.92% of women have an alcohol use disorder. "Pure alcohol" is an important constraint, as some forms of alcoholic beverages are very intoxicating, while others have much less actual alcohol within them. Alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder, is a chronic disease characterized by uncontrolled drinking due to physical and emotional dependence and a preoccupation with alcohol. The most recent data … Luckily, we have access to data that has been collected and documented by the World Health Organization just for such purposes. In conclusion, we know that alcohol plays an important role in many societies, just as other beverages like soft drinks, juices, tea, cocoa, and coffee. The country with the lowest average life expectancy, India at 68.4 years, also had low levels of consumption of alcohol. Populations in these regions may tend to consume a lot of alcohol in order to negate the effects of cold weather, as alcohol can create an illusion of ‘warming’ the body. However, consumption varies by state. Americans consume an average of 8.7 liters of pure alcohol per capita annually, the equivalent to 29.0 handles of vodka per person per year. All together, the findings suggest that there is "a substantial chance for misunderstanding" when people read studies about alcohol consumption conducted in different countries, Humphreys said. Meanwhile, countries in Asia, Africa, and the pacific have much lower rates of consumption. Note that the methodology to convert alcoholic drinks to pure alcohol may differ across countries. beer, wine, spirits), this is reported in liters of pure alcohol per year. Alcohol’s effects can be detrimental or benign, depending on how responsibly it is consumed. Looking at the published statistics, the highest consumption rates of alcohol seem to be concentrated in Europe and other places in the Northern Hemisphere of the globe. Treatment for alcoholism includes counseling and medications and sometimes medical detoxification to help the individual stop drinking safely. European countries might exhibit such a trend because major producers of the biggest alcoholic brands originate from there, which can itself be attributed to the fact that drinking has been a cultural institution for these countries for many centuries, and the activity has been passed down through successive generations. As far as alcohol consumption, the countries with the heaviest drinkers are: On average, Belarus citizens consumed 14.4 liters of pure alcohol per year, the equivalent of 49 handles of vodka per person. Alcoholism is a common disorder with more than 3 million cases per year. Countries With The Highest Alcohol Consumption per Capita The most recent data regarding alcoholism rates in each country is from 2004, which recorded the percentage of males and females 15 years and above with alcohol use disorders. The table below lists OECD countries by the annual consumption of pure alcohol in litres, per person, aged 15 years old and over, as published in the 2013 OECD Health Data. It is also worth noting that the world’s second-biggest country, India, also made the list, but its alcohol consumption only amounts to around 1/9th of China’s total. The annual global average alcohol consumption is 6.4 liters per person older than 15 (in 2016). The trends here likely are no cause of alarm, and more research needs to be done to concretely define the effects of a high per capita alcohol consumption on a country. This data represents alcohol consumption per capita for people who are over 15 years of age per population. Alcohol country fact sheets (2019) The 30 country fact sheets for EU Member States, Norway and Switzerland present data on consumption, harm and policy implementation for the year 2016, aiming to give guidance to national decision-makers for further priority-setting in the field of alcohol … Here are the 10 countries with the highest rates of alcoholism in males. Alcohol consumption also varies significantly between countries. That is why we use per capita consumption of pure alcohol as a measurement to avoid being biased as much as possible. The ten countries with the highest rates of alcohol use disorders in females are: Russia has the highest prevalence of alcohol use disorders overall, with 16.29% of males and 2.58% of females having an alcohol use disorder. Globally, the total volume of alcohol consumed is up 70% from 1999 to 2017. Alcohol consumption also varies significantly between countries. To avoid confusion and misjudgment as much as possible, the best way to measure alcohol consumption anywhere in the world is through the per capita consumption of pure alcohol within a given country. In fact, the United States only drinks half as many liters of alcohol as China does, and third-place Brazil is an astonishing 40 billion liters behind the Chinese pace. Those with alcohol use disorder may have problems controlling their drinking, drink alcohol even when it’s problematic, or experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop consuming alcohol. To account for the differences in alcohol content of different alcoholic drinks (e.g. By James Burton on September 10 2018 in World Facts. There are several factors that could have led to such tendencies within and between certain groups of countries. Another factor might be attributed to weather conditions. For example, Russian vodka is a traditional drink within the country, and given the high alcohol content of this drink this fact might attribute to Russia being high up on the table. Alcohol consumption is defined as annual sales of pure alcohol in litres per person aged 15 years and older. There has also been an argument as to which countries consume the most alcohol. Alcohol use is associated with numerous harmful health and social consequences, including an increased risk of a range of cancers, stroke and liver cirrhosis. There seem to be discussions all around the world in regards to spirit-filled beverages, from their creation to their consumption patterns.