Bottoms up: Malta among Europe’s top drinkers, new study finds

Tista’ taqra bil-
Malti.

Malta emerged as one of the countries with the highest prevalence of drinkers and binge drinking, a study on drinking patterns across Europe shows.

The research published this week in the scientific journal Addiction, which analysed data from 2000 to 2019, offers a detailed look at how alcohol consumption habits vary across the continent.

The study, conducted by an international team of researchers, utilised data from the World Health Organization’s monitoring system to classify European countries into distinct drinking patterns.

These patterns were based on factors such as per capita alcohol consumption, preferred beverage types, and the prevalence of current drinkers and heavy episodic drinking.

Malta’s drinking profile

Malta was categorised in a group labeled “High CD and HED countries,” alongside Finland, Iceland, Ireland, and Luxembourg. This classification indicates a high prevalence of current drinkers (CD) in the population and a high rate of heavy episodic drinking (HED), commonly known as binge drinking.

According to the study, this group had the highest prevalence of current drinkers, with 80.9% of the European adult population consuming alcohol. Additionally, they showed the highest rates of heavy episodic drinking, both in the general population (44.1%) and among current drinkers (53.8%).

European drinking patterns

The researchers identified six main drinking patterns across Europe:

Wine-drinking countries: Primarily in Southern Europe, including France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and SwedenHigh beer and low spirits consumption countries in Central-Western Europe: Including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, and SpainHigh beer consumption and heavy episodic drinking among current drinkers in Eastern Europe: Including Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and SlovakiaHigh spirits and ‘other’ beverages consumption countries in Eastern Europe: Estonia, Latvia, and LithuaniaHigh lifetime abstainers with high spirits consumption in Eastern Europe: Bulgaria, Cyprus, and UkraineHigh current drinkers and heavy episodic drinking: Malta, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, and Luxembourg

One of the study’s key findings was the relative stability of these drinking patterns over the 19-year period examined. Two-thirds of the countries remained in the same cluster throughout all measurement points, suggesting that drinking habits are deeply rooted in cultural traditions and resistant to change.

The research also explored the relationship between drinking patterns and alcohol-attributable harm. After adjusting for economic factors, the study found significant associations between certain drinking patterns and higher rates of alcohol-related deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost.

While the cluster including Malta did not show significantly higher rates of alcohol-attributable harm compared to wine-drinking countries, the findings still raise important public health considerations.

European countries exhibit distinct drinking patterns that correlate with alcohol-attributable harm. Countries like France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Sweden primarily consume wine and have the lowest overall alcohol consumption.

In Central-Western Europe, nations such as Austria, Belgium, and Germany favour high beer consumption with low spirits intake, coupled with significant tourist drinking. Eastern European countries like Croatia, Hungary, and Poland also consume high amounts of beer, with prevalent HED.

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania focus on high spirits and other beverages, showing high overall alcohol intake and low wine consumption. Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Ukraine exhibit high lifetime abstainers (LA) but consume substantial spirits. Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Malta have high CD and HED rates.

From 2000 to 2019, drinking patterns remained stable for most countries, although some shifts occurred. Greece, Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, and others transitioned between clusters. Significant associations between drinking patterns and alcohol-related health burdens were found, particularly in Eastern Europe. The ‘High spirits and other beverages’ cluster showed the highest DALYs and death rates, emphasising the health impact of regional drinking habits.

Maltese consume 1.6 bottles of wine or 3.1 litres of beer each week

A 2021 study published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) had revealed detailed insights into alcohol consumption patterns in Malta for individuals aged 15 and over.

According to the OECD study, people in Malta consume approximately eight litres of pure alcohol annually, translating to more than three litres of beer weekly.

The review highlighted that per capita, Maltese adults consume the equivalent of 1.6 bottles of wine or 3.1 litres of beer each week. Binge drinking is notably prevalent, with 21.9% of adults engaging in this behaviour at least once a month, defined as consuming over 80% of a bottle of wine or 1.5 litres of beer in one sitting.

Gender disparities in alcohol consumption are significant. Men in Malta drink about four times more than women, with men consuming 12.4 litres of pure alcohol per capita per year compared to 3.6 litres for women. Additionally, 1.6% of the adult population is reported to be dependent on alcohol.

Youth drinking patterns are concerning, with 26% of 15-year-old boys having been drunk at least twice, compared to 15% of girls. The OECD had noted that children who avoid drunkenness are 27 per cent more likely to excel academically.

Despite these drinking habits, the OECD forecasts a relatively minor impact on life expectancy in Malta, projecting a reduction of only 0.4 years over the following 30 years, one of the lowest in Europe. Current alcohol consumption patterns are also linked to significant health costs and reduced workforce productivity, with diseases and injuries from drinking above moderate levels accounting for 1.4% of health expenditure.

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Publish date : 2024-06-27 07:00:00

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