More than half of adults in Ireland admit to drinking alcohol on a weekly basis. New research suggests that one in four of the adult drinking population is binge-drinking, according to PA Media. However, the number of people who defend this as part of Irish culture has decreased over the last two years.
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'Rising concern'
The Drinkawre Barometer survey found that more than 50% of people who drink alcohol, binge-drink in a 30-day period. This figure is a 20% increase over data from 2020. Binge-drinking is defined as the consumption of 60 grams of pure alcohol or six standard drinks in one sitting.
Although researchers noticed a shift in the cultural relationship the Irish tend to have with alcohol, the rate at which the average adult drinks is a ‘rising concern’. CEO of Drinkaware Sheena Horgan said:
The amount we drink, when we drink, is just as, if not more important than the frequency of when we drink. It is clear through our research that binge drinking has become the normalised drinking experience for Irish adults, and as a collective society we need to act.
The data point to a 35% increase in alcohol consumption since the start of the pandemic.
Positive outcome?
Although these figures might sound alarming, the situation is not all gloomy. There has been a significant drop in the number of people who excuse their drinking as part of Irish culture – 50% as compared to 75% in 2019.
30% of respondents admitted that they would like to drink less often while 35% said they had already started making necessary lifestyle changes in the past 30 days. Horgan added:
The positive shift in cultural expectancies is one that merits recognition of the awareness raising, educational, environment and policy measures that have taken place in recent years, with the caveat that of course much more needs to be done.
Sources used:
PA Media: One in four drinkers are now binge-drinking, data suggests
Drinkaware.com: Binge Drinking
Belfast Telegraph: One in four drinkers are now binge-drinking, data suggests
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