Yasmina Kattou / Photo credits: Pixabay
According to a report published this Tuesday by Public Health France, alcohol consumption has decreased drastically over the last 30 years and has even been divided by three since the beginning of the 1990s. However, it remains too high to be without risk to health.
In the land of wine and aperitif, alcohol consumption has decreased drastically over the last 30 years, as revealed in a report published this Tuesday morning by Public Health France, as the end of January – and its challenge “Dry January” – approaching. In detail, consumption patterns have evolved and regular alcohol consumption has been divided by three since the beginning of the 1990s.
“18-24 year olds drink on average 65 days a year”
There are fewer and fewer daily alcohol drinkers in France. Their share increased from 24% in 1992 to 8% in 2021. Consumption patterns have also evolved: young people drink less often but in greater quantities, explains Raphaël Adler, researcher in the addiction unit of Public health France. “18-24 year olds drink on average 65 days a year and 3.2 drinks on the days they drink. Older people, for example 65-75 year olds, drink 125 days a year on average, but only 1.6 drinks on the days they drink,” he says.
“There is no risk-free consumption threshold”
Regardless, these two ways of consuming alcohol have direct consequences on health. “There is no safe consumption threshold. Alcohol consumption increases the risk of hemorrhagic strokes, hypertension, heart rhythm disorders and cancer. The ethanol contained in alcoholic beverages is an agent carcinogenic to humans,” he warns.
Raphaël Adler recalls the slogan of Public Health France: “Alcohol is no more than two glasses per day and not every day”.