Australians aged 18-24 years generally consume more standard drinks on a day they drink than any other age group.
Who binge drinks? Binge drinking is most common among younger adults aged 18–34. Binge drinking is more common among men than among women. Binge drinking is most common among adults who have higher household incomes ($75,000 or more), are non-Hispanic White, or live in the Midwest.
The mean number of drinks per drinking occasion also declines with age. Thus, adults ages 18–34 on average consume more than 2 drinks per drinking occasion, adults ages 35–64 between 1 and 2 drinks per occasion, and adults age 65 and older less than 1 drink per occasion (Chan et al.
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). 1 in 3 adults (33%) who drink alcohol drink at levels that exceed the Australian Alcohol Guidelines and put them at risk of alcohol-related disease or injury.
The alcohol beverages most commonly consumed by Australians are bottled wine (34%), regular strength beer (19%), and bottled spirits/liqueur (15%).
Australians have been named the heaviest drinkers in the world in a survey after spending more time drunk in 2020 than any other nation. The international survey found Australians drank to the point of drunkenness an average of 27 times a year, almost double the global average of 15.
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).
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.
An estimated 15 million people struggle with an alcohol use disorder in the United States, but less than 10% of them receive treatment. More than 65 million Americans report binge drinking in the past month, which is more than 40% of the total of current alcohol users. Teen alcohol use kills 4,700 people each year.
Drinking is arguably a big part of Australian culture. In Australia, it's strongly connected to social situations; you'll struggle to find a party or gathering that doesn't have alcohol in one form or another. It's common to go out for drinks to relax after work, or to celebrate over a toast with friends and family.
Local government areas in Western Australia's (WA) beachside are consuming the most alcohol, with rates almost double the national average. Byron Shire Council in New South Wales (NSW) had the nation's highest rate of risky drinking, but some areas of NSW also had some of the lowest rates in the country.
With regard to changes in alcohol consumption, of those who reported that they drank at all (excluding those who said they never drink alcohol): 27% of respondents reported that their alcohol consumption decreased since the spread of COVID-19 in Australia. 20% reported an increase in alcohol consumption.
Approximately 84 per cent of Australians drink alcohol at least once in a 12-month period, compared to 83.9 per cent in the UK and 68.9 per cent in the US. However, the UK leads the way with alcohol abuse problems.
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.
In Japan, the legal adult age is 20. Japanese law prohibits individuals under the age of 20 to drink alcohol or smoke. Regardless of age, you must not force anyone to drink or smoke as it may cause serious health and social consequences.
Harm caused by alcohol
Harms caused by excessive alcohol consumption are not limited to alcohol dependence. For example, anywhere between 2,182 and 6,620 cases of cancer (or 1.9–5.8 per cent of all cancers) are attributable to long-term, chronic use of alcohol each year in Australia (Cancer Council Australia 2018).
Burkina Faso is the country with the youngest drinking age at 13 years. Burkina Faso, a country in West Africa, a population 20.9 million (2020), has an area that expands to roughly 170,255 miles.
The youngest legal drinking age in the world is 15, with both Mali and the Central African Republic allowing folks to drink at that time. Seven countries do not have a government-mandated drinking age, while 11 countries ban the consumption of booze entirely.
Consumption of more than 28 standard drinks per week for men or 14 standard drinks for women is considered hazardous. More than 42 standard drinks per week for men or 28 standard drinks for women is considered harmful. Problem drinking includes: alcohol consumption at levels that are harmful or potentially so.
The 2021 Global Drugs Survey, which accepts submissions via an anonymous online survey, found that Australians got drunk 26.7 times a year, far higher than the second-ranking country, Denmark, on 23.8 times. The global average for getting drunk was 14.6 times per year.
But 72% of the non-Indigenous population actually drank alcohol, while only 62% of the Indigenous population did. One common stereotype of Indigenous Australians is that they all drink alcohol to excess. But the reality is that a smaller percentage of Aborigines drink alcohol than do other Australians.
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).
Heavy Alcohol Use:
For men, consuming more than 4 drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks per week. For women, consuming more than 3 drinks on any day or more than 7 drinks per week.