Alcohol: one in ten inhabitants drinks every day, Occitanie remains the champion of consumption in France

Beer, wine, strong alcohol: consumption is falling. Free Midi – KATYA SHABUT

According to Public Health France, which looks back on thirty years of alcohol consumption in France, with figures generally on the decline, the region is, however, more spared than the others by the phenomenon of "binge dirinking& quot;, massive alcoholism during an evening. 

"During the last 12 months, have you drunk wine, beer, strong alcohol, other alcohol such as cider, champagne, port… ? How many drinks do you drink during the day ? How often have you had six or more glasses of alcoholic beverage on one occasion ?" Six drinks is the threshold for an "API", significant occasional drinking, also known as "binge drinking" quot;.

These questions, which Public Health France has been asking French people aged 18 to 75 for ten years, make it possible to outline the major trends in the relationship with alcohol, and more precisely, depending on the # 39; age, gender, and place of living.

Published this January 23 on the basis of the investigation which covers the year 2021, they are also to be placed in a calendar of punctual control plans since the Evin law of 1991. 

Less "binge drinking" in Occitanie than in France

What does the study tell us, with "the limits of an important under-declaration", admits Public Health France ? With 11% of daily consumers, one in ten people, Occitanie remains the champion of regular use of' alcohol, for 16.6% of men and 5.6% of women. The figure, like the national trend, is downward: it was 12.6% of daily consumers in 2017.

On the other hand, the region is one of those where "binge drinking" : 15.5% of the population (23.7% of men and 8% of women) admit to having had, once a month, a "several heavy drinking" (API). 

In France, it's one point more: 16.5%.

Daily consumption reduced by a third in thirty years

The national table of the relationship to alcohol is rich in lessons: "In mainland France, in 2021, 94.9% of adults declare having already consumed alcohol in their life", the figure has been stable since the beginning of the 90s, recalls Public Health France (SPF), which "zooms in& quot; more precisely on behaviors.

With regard to annual consumption of alcohol "at least once during of the last 12 months": the figure is down in 2021 (85%) compared to 2017 (86.5%). On average, French people drank alcohol 92 days in 2021 (it was 103 in 2010). On those days, they drank an average of 2.2 drinks (it was 2.3 in 2010).

The youngest (18-24 years old) consume alcohol less often but drink more than their elders: they consume on average 3.2 glasses per day but have 64.3 days of consumption per year while 65-75 year olds consume 1.6 glasses per day, 123.7 days per year. 

If we are interested in weekly consumption of alcohol: this is the case for 39% of French people (62.9% in 2000). The figure is decreasing among men (50.5% among men compared to 52.7% in 2017) but stable (28.1%) among women. 

The decline is especially noticeable among men over 55 and women over 45.

For daily consumption : 8% of French people drink every day (23.9% in 1992). The figure drops among men (12.6% compared to 15.2% in 2017) and among women (3.8% compared to 5.1%).

In 30 years (1992-21), "the share of adults reporting daily drinking has been divided by three, among both men and women", indicates SPF.

New practices among women

The SPF study also shows changes in behavior, depending on age and sex.

Example: if the API figure "has not changed since 2005", it is stable "among men, especially those under 35". But it is "on the rise among women, especially in the 35-44 age group and those over 55.

This "Panorama of alcohol consumption in France" in 2021, finally shows that "the perception of the risks linked to alcohol consumption is evolving slowly", "alcohol consumption is perceived as at risk from daily consumption (according to 92% of respondents in 1999, 79% in 2018) while the risk of occasional consumption is only perceived for 11 % of adults", underlines Public Health France.

So, if "53% of 18-75 year olds have heard about the alcohol-free monthly challenge", the Dry January, just "4.5% say they have changed their alcohol consumption". < /p>

It remains "very high in France" and &quot ;exposed to numerous short- and long-term health risks", worries SPF, which recalls the social cost of alcohol consumption: 100 billion euros in 2019.