ISTAT data on alcohol consumption among young people
Published on 13/10/2012
The final report of the Istat survey on alcohol consumption in Italy in 2011 reveals that the rise in the use and abuse of alcohol is concentrated particularly among minors. The share of 14-17 year olds who drink outside of meals rose from 15.5% in 2001 to 18.8% in 2011.
The survey highlights the seriousness of behaviors that "lay the groundwork for possible excessive consumption over the course of an entire lifetime".
The data reveal a consumption pattern rooted in drinking alcohol outside of meals, especially among the youngest, in the 18-24 age bracket, where over 41% are habitual consumers of alcohol outside of meals.
In the youngest bracket, between 14 and 17 years of age, the percentage drops to 16.9%.
The figures for girls are particularly worrying, with the number of girls drinking alcohol outside of meals having tripled. Very young female drinkers, aged 14-17, rose from 6% in 1995 to 14.6% in 2010.
Moreover, female alcohol consumption also appears to have changed in its customs: young girls are consuming drinks, such as beer and aperitifs, that were traditionally considered male beverages.
For the youngest in particular, the fashion of "binge drinking" -drinking everything all at once with the clear aim of getting drunk- appears to be a worrying phenomenon, also noted by the Ministry of Health, as shown in the report signed by Minister Balduzzi.