Alcohol consumption trends and patterns of drinking

Abstract

Abstract The proportion of drinkers, the typical frequency of drinking, and the amount of alcohol consumed per occasion vary enormously, not only across countries, but also over time and between different population groups. Of particular concern is the increasing consumption in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which is expected to continue in the years to come. Alcohol per capita consumption (APC) is closely related to the prevalence of heavy drinkers. The large variation in APC and drinking patterns across population subgroups implies that alcohol-related problems will be very unevenly distributed within a given country.