Behavioural risk factor statistics
Per capita alcohol consumption among adults aged 15 years and older
Rationale for use
Over-consumption of alcohol is related to many diseases and health conditions, including chronic diseases such as alcohol dependence and liver cirrhosis, and acute health problems such as injuries. Estimation of per capita consumption of alcohol across the entire population aged 15 years or older can provide policy makers with some sense of the magnitude and trends likely to be found in alcohol-related problems.
Definition
Liters of pure alcohol per capita, computed as the sum of alcohol production and imports, less alcohol exports, divided by the adult population (aged 15 years or older).
Data sources
Food and Agriculture Organization's Statistical Database (FAOSTAT), World Drink Trends, regularly published by Produktschap voor Gedistilleerde Dranken (Netherlands)
Direct government data.
Methods of estimation
Estimated amount of pure ethanol in litres of total alcohol, and separately, beer, wine and spirits consumed per adult (15 years and older) in the country during a calendar year, as calculated from official statistics on production, sales, import and export, taking into account stocks whenever possible. Conversion factors are used to estimate amount of pure alcohol in (barley) beer is 5% wine 12% and spirits 40%of alcohol (other conversion factors were used for some types of beer and other beverages).
References
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Global Status Report on Alcohol
Global Status Report on Alcohol. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2004.
Database
Comments
It is important to note that these figures comprise, in most cases, the recorded alcohol consumption only and have some inherent problems. Factors that influence the accuracy of per capita data are: informal production, tourist and overseas consumption, stockpiling, waste and spillage, smuggling, duty-free sales, variation in beverage strength and the quality of the data on which it is based. In some countries there exists a significant unrecorded alcohol consumption that needs be taken into account for a comprehensive picture of total alcohol consumption.
Several African countries (Uganda, Nigeria, Swaziland and Burundi) appear in the list in the top 30 positions of adult per capita consumption. This is because the calculations were based on FAO data which include fermented beverages and estimates of beer produced locally from sorghum, millet and other agricultural products.