Austrians drink more alcohol than people in other European countries. This is evident from figures from the World Health Organization (WHO). Romania, the Czech Republic and Germany are ahead of Austria.
In 2019, every person aged 15 and over in Austria drank an average of 12.2 litres of pure alcohol. In countries such as Italy and Sweden, people drank less, and more in Romania and the Czech Republic (see graph below). Worldwide, more than one in five people (22 percent) among 15 to 19 year olds drank alcohol. According to the WHO, the reason that the data is from 2019 is that more recent data could not be reliably evaluated due to the corona pandemic.
Here you see a graph about alcohol consumption in Europe.
At that time, there were 2.6 million deaths from alcohol consumption and 209 million alcoholics worldwide. Almost as many people (200 million) showed at least some problematic drinking behavior. At the same time, according to the WHO, per capita consumption has fallen from 5.7 liters of pure alcohol in 2010 to 5.5 liters of alcohol (2019).
Two bottles of beer a day “too much”
In Austria people mainly drink beer. Two bottles of beer or two glasses of wine a day are already too much, says Vladimir Poznyak, head of the WHO department responsible. But it also depends on the circumstances. A glass of wine in your spare time may be a low risk, but a high risk for someone who has to operate a complicated machine. In general, there is no such thing as ‘risk-free alcohol consumption’.
To ensure that people drink less, governments are being asked to do more. According to the WHO, these may include advertising bans and sales restrictions, as well as high prices.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
