20-30 years ago, you could see ad campaigns in Europe where they would tell you that it’s okay to drink one glass but if you drink three glasses you might get into trouble… It was a way to alert the Europeans of excessive drinking. Today, things are getting tougher for alcohol users… New ad campaigns are advising users against regular drinking… It could have health consequences in the long term… Well there are people in this world who have lived until 100 and they drink 1 glass a day on a regular basis…
Studies tend to prove that men between 25 and 45 tend to drink excessively on a regular basis. It is considered to be excessive if you drink more than 3 glasses a day or 21 drinks per week (or 22…). Recent studies showed that almost 20% men between 25 and 45 and only 4% women. It seems to be a serious health concern for public authorities!
However, it’s more complicated to help men change their behavior. As they have been drinking for so many years what they consider a non excessive use of alcohol, behavioral change will probably take some time and it’s not a simple ad campaign that will change that. Today, you see many more ads for video slots or gambling related stuff but not so much to stop using alcohol… Different world different rules!
Alcohol is still responsible for many deaths in Europe (more than 200,000 per year). However, if you limit your consumption, it’s reversible and you can reduce many risks such as alcoholic liver diseases, neurological diseases or hypertension.
To conclude, there is good news: alcohol consumption in Europe has been declining. From 2000 to 2010, regular consumption for men between 25 and 45 declined from 25% to 19%.