Among Australians who drink alcohol, the usual quantity consumed per day differs by age. Australians aged 18-24 years generally consume more standard drinks on a day they drink than any other age group.
People aged 70 and over continued to be the most likely to drink daily (12.6%), followed by people in their 60s (9.6%) and 50s (7.3%).
Who binge drinks? Binge drinking is most common among younger adults aged 18–34. Binge drinking is more common among men than among women.
In 2019, the average age at which Australians aged 14 years and older consumed their first serve of alcohol was 17 years. However, the average age at which 14-24 year olds consumed their first serve of alcohol was 16 years. Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
White teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 drink alcohol more often than other ethnic groups; the 2013 NSDUH reports that 12.9% drank alcohol. Almost one-quarter of the white population reports past-month binge drinking, and about 7% admit to heavy drinking in the past 30 days.
Australians aged 18-24 years generally consume more standard drinks on a day they drink than any other age group. Those aged 70+ years are most likely to have 2 or less standard drinks per occasion.
A report from Berenberg Research shows Gen Z drinks 20 per cent less per capita than Millennials when it comes to alcohol consumption. Not to be outdone, the report also shows Millennials are drinking less than both Gen X and Baby Boomers.
Who drinks alcohol in Australia? Around 77% of adults drink alcohol. 23% do not drink alcohol. The proportion of the population aged 14 and over who consumed alcohol daily declined significantly between 2016 (6.0%) and 2019 (5.4%) (AIHW 2020, Table 3.1).
Alcohol is an intrinsic part of Australian culture and it plays a central role in most people's social lives. Heavy drinking is seen as acceptable in almost all social situations, from weddings to sports matches, and even at funerals or baby showers.
The most recent data by country for 18 selected developed countries, indicated that annual alcohol consumption was in the range of 6 to 12 litres per capita. Australian annual alcohol consumption was fifth highest among the selected countries at 9.5 litres capita.
Adult Men Drink More than Women
Men are more likely to binge drink than women. Approximately 21% of men report binge drinking, compared with 13% of women. Among men who binge drink, 25% do so at least five times a month, on average, and 25% consume at least nine drinks during a binge drinking occasion.
Queenslanders appear to be the nation's biggest beer drinkers, with South Australians drinking the least.
Raising the legal age for alcohol purchase to 21 would reduce alcohol-related harm in Australia. There is strong evidence and increasing support to raise the minimum age for purchasing alcohol from 18 to 21, leading public health experts argue in The Medical Journal of Australia (MJA).
Alcohol is an intrinsic part of Australian culture and it plays a central role in most people's social lives. Heavy drinking is seen as acceptable in almost all social situations, from weddings to sports matches, and even at funerals or baby showers.
What is the most popular drink in Australia? Australians boast about their selection and variety of alcohol. The most famous drink in Australia is vino. The most consumed drink in this country is red wine.
Two thirds (66%) of people believe that Australia has a problem with excess drinking or alcohol abuse, while 22% do not believe this and 12% are unsure. The perception that Australia has a problem with excess drinking declined in 2019 (down from 73% in 2018).
Looking at the amount of alcohol consumed per person aged 15 years or older, the Seychelles is in first place with around 20.5 litres of alcohol drunk per person per year, according to Our World in Data; studies show that young male peer groups primarily drink high amounts of alcohol in the Seychelles.
Russia and Australia have the highest prevalence of alcoholism dependence overall, with 2.61 per cent and 2.58 per cent, respectively. According to the World Health Organization, US has the lowest rate of alcohol dependence with only 1.93 per cent.
A global drug survey has found that people in the UK get drunk more often than anywhere else in the world, with Australians not far behind. Drinkers in the UK get drunk more often than anywhere else in the world, findings from a global drug survey suggest.
A 2020 study from the University of Michigan shows that over the last two decades, the number of college students who abstained from drinking went up by 8%. And according to a 2022 U.K. study from Drinkaware on alcohol consumption trends, Gen Z is the most sober and sober-curious generation yet.
Gen Zers are drinking less than young people in past generations: about 20 percent less alcohol per capita than millennials did at their age, according to a report from Berenberg Research.
Beer is the world's most widely consumed alcoholic drink, and is the third-most consumed drink overall, after water and tea.
Gnowangerup has been crowned the booziest town in Australia, with one-third of its adult residents necking two or more alcoholic drinks every day.