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Drinking patterns and their gender differences in Europe
Pia Mäkelä1, Gerhard Gmel, Ulrike Grittner
1National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health STAKES, Alcohol and Drug Research Group, Helsinki, Finland. pia.makela@stakes.fi
Alcohol and Alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire). Supplement
|October 13, 2006
Summary
European alcohol consumption shows significant gender differences across all countries, though regional variations in drinking cultures are less pronounced. These patterns influence beverage preferences and drinking occasions, highlighting a complex interplay of cultural and gender factors.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Alcohol Studies
Background:
- Understanding European drinking cultures is vital for public health initiatives.
- Cross-cultural comparisons reveal diverse patterns in alcohol consumption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare European drinking habits and cultures across different regions and countries.
- To examine and compare gender differences in drinking patterns throughout Europe.
Main Methods:
- Surveys conducted in the general population (aged 20-64) across 14 European countries.
- Centralized analysis of abstention, drinking frequency, volume, amounts per occasion, and heavy episodic drinking.
Main Results:
- Consistent gender differences observed in most drinking measures, except wine consumption.
- Gender differences were often smaller in Northern Europe.
- Beverage preferences suggest traditional cultural distinctions were based on male drinking patterns.
Conclusions:
- Clear and consistent gender differences in alcohol consumption exist across all studied European countries.
- Differences in drinking patterns between countries and regions were less evident than gender-based variations.
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