New Zealanders consume large amounts of alcohol but the latest WHO report on alcohol drinking across the world showed that we are not as bad as some other countries. Our newspapers reported that we drink much more than the world average. The average for each New Zealander (over the age of 15) is about 11 litres of alcohol a year whereas the world average is 6.2 litres. However, it is important to remember that nearly 62% of people around the world do not drink alcohol at all, hence a world average does not tell us very much. The world average of the 38% who do drink, is 17 litres a year.
The WHO report showed New Zealanders drink slightly more alcohol than Americans but slightly less than Britons and Australians. One standard drink contains about 10ml of alcohol, so 100 drinks is 1 litre of alcohol. About 20% of our population over 15 does not drink alcohol at all. Males drink more than females. Last year, males drank 15.7 litres of alcohol while females drank 6.3 litres.
A pie graph in the report shows 38% of the alcohol we drink is from beer, while 34% is from wine, 15% from spirits and 12% from other drinks. However, beer contains 4% or 5% alcohol while wine contains 11% to 14% alcohol which means New Zealanders drink a lot more beer than wine. Fifty years ago we drank very little wine, maybe only 1 or 2 percent. Like many other countries, we used to drink a lot more alcohol in the late 1970s, then drinking declined in the late 1990s. However it is starting to increase a little these days.
You can check alcohol consumption of other countries at this WHO website.
The report from WHO shows a link between alcohol and diseases like cancer and cirrhosis of the liver. New Zealand’s Alcohol Advisory Council recommends only one drink a day and two days a week with no alcohol at all.
Vocabulary
- consume (v) consumption (n) – eat, drink, buy
- WHO – World Health Organisation
- slightly – a little (more or less)
- a standard drink – the size you get when you buy a drink at a pub
- spirits -e.g. whisky, gin, vodka
- decline – decrease