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Among the 10 countries that drink the most alcohol in the world, nine are part of the EU. What is the country that drinks the most and where is France located? Quickly find out the answer!
Europeans are heavy drinkers of alcohol: this is not a rumour, but a reality quantified by the World Health Organization in its report on health in Europe 2021. But large disparities exist between the different countries which make up the WHO European Region which covers a geographical area of 53 countries, including Russia and former Soviet states such as Moldova. The culture, habits and alcohols consumed are different.
Czechia on the first step of European drinkers
While total alcohol consumption per capita decreased by 2.5 liters (21%) between 2000 and 2019 in the European Region, alcohol remains a concern in Western Europe. Thus, of the 10 countries that drink the most in the world, nine are located in the European Union (EU), with a dominant trend in each country: men drink more than women. Thus, on average, 13% of men drink daily, against 4.1% of women.
Thus, the ten countries with the highest alcohol consumption per capita were:
- Czechia (14.3 liters of pure alcohol per year);
- Latvia (13.2);
- Moldova (12.9);
- Germany (12.8);
- Lithuania (12.8);
- Ireland (12.7);
- Spain (12.7);
- Bulgaria (12.5),
- Luxembourg (12.4)
- Romania (12.3).
France, meanwhile, would come just behind this top 10 with 12.2 liters of pure alcohol per adult per year.
Another interesting figure, within the EU, not a single country has an annual per capita consumption of less than five liters of pure alcohol. Only five countries are below an annual per capita consumption of 10 litres: Italy (8.0), Malta (8.3 litres), Croatia (8.7), Sweden (9.0) and the Netherlands (9.7).
What dose of alcohol is tolerated for health?
Put together in this way, the WHO data gives an average consumption for each European over the age of 15 an average consumption of 9.5 liters of pure alcohol, which is equivalent to approximately 190 liters of beer, 80 liters of wine or 24 liters of spirits. A higher dose than that recommended by the High Authority of Health (HAS) in France.
The WHO reminds us:There is no safe level of alcohol consumption. And not drinking alcohol is the only way to avoid its harmful effects.”
However, each country has its own health policy and recommendations which are also different.
In France, the HAS mentions health risks from the first daily glass of alcohol. But agrees on a reasoned consumption:
- Maximum 10 glasses per week;
- Maximum 2 glasses per day;
- Days in the week without consumption.
In summary: “For your health, alcohol is a maximum of 2 glasses a day, and not every day”.
A good reminder to fight against avoidable mortality: the WHO recalls that alcohol causes nearly one million deaths per year in the European Region and 3 million deaths worldwide. In question: a link between alcohol and notable tragedies such as drowning, road accidents, suicides or even homicides, not to mention the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.