Use and abuse of alcohol

In 2013 the percentage of population aged 11 and over who consumed at least one alcoholic drink during the year was 63.9%. This rate, stable if compared to the previous year, has been decreasing during the last 10 years (68,7%). 22.7% of the population (12,304,000 people) drank alcoholic beverages daily, while 25.8% consumed alcohol at least once outside meals.

During the last 10 years the number of daily consumers decreases, while there has been an increase in the number of occasional consumers and those who drink outside meals.

51.6% of people aged 11 and over drink wine, 45.3% drink beer, and 39.9% drink alcoholic aperitifs, digestive liqueurs, spirits or liqueurs. 20.6% drink wine every day, while 4.2% of the reference population drink beer.

Overall, risk behaviours in alcohol consumption (non-moderate daily consumption), binge drinking (i.e. to drink six or seven glasses of alcoholic beverages on a single occasion and the consumption of alcohol by youths aged 11 to 15) concern 7,144 million of the population (13,2%).

Groups of population most at risk of non-moderate consumption are: the elderly (38.6.7% of males and 8.9% of females), the young adult population aged 18-24 (23% of males and 8.6% of females) and the adolescents aged 11-17 (11.4% of males and 8.5% of females).

Among foreign citizens the percentage of population aged 14 and over who had consumed at least one alcoholic drink during the year is lower than Italian people of the same age. In 2012 the 56.2% of foreign people had consumed at least one alcoholic drink during the year. Higher than average percentages are observed among Eastern Europe citizens: Romanians (71.8%), Ukrainians (71.4%), the Polish (69.2%), Moldovans (68.3%) and Albanians (68.2%).

13.2% of foreigners aged 14 and over is at risk in alcohol consumption. The incidence between men is higher than women (20.1% and 7.1%).

Non-moderate daily consumption concerns 5.4% of foreign population aged 14 and over, while the percentage of binge drinkers is 9.3%, higher among foreign citizens aged 18-24 (11.7%), especially young men (17.8%).