The Puzzle of Italian Drinking

Abstract

During the recent decades, a significant process of change in alcohol consumption patterns is currently ongoing in Italy. This is especially obvious in the decreased wine consumption during the last 40 years, which parallels the decrease in deaths from liver cirrhosis. The drinking patterns of younger people have also changed during the last two decades, even if traditional values and practices are still retained. There is no evidence to suggest that planned public health policies had any substantial impact on these changes.