[Changes in alcohol consumption from youth to adulthood in Italy]

alcohol consumption is a significant risk factor for health at all ages. Consumption patterns and associated risks vary across countries and cultures and are affected by socio-demographic characteristics. The objective of the study was to assess changes in alcoholic beverage consumption patterns from youth to adulthood in Italy, and specifically in the North, Central and South-Islands geographic areas.

subjects who consume wine, beer and spirits/bitters/alcoholic aperitifs, as recorded by the Istat Multipurpose surveys "Aspects of daily life", were grouped into non-drinkers, occasional drinkers and drinkers of at least one glass a day. The percentage distribution of consumers in the 14-24 year age group in 1998 was compared with that of the 30-39 year age bracket in 2013 through a multivariate logistic regression analysis.

in 1998, 39.1% of subjects aged 14-24 years in Italy did not consume alcohol, with a higher prevalence in Central Italy (41.3%). The likelihood of being an alcohol drinker was greater in subjects aged 30-39 years in 2013 compared to those aged 14-24 in 1998, as regards both occasional consumption (OR=1.515; p<0.05) and daily consumption (OR=2.144; p<0.05), the latter more markedly in the central regions. Furthermore, the likelihood of being a daily wine drinker (OR=2.889; p<0.05) and beer drinker (OR=1.602; p<0.05) increased, above all in the central regions, as was the case for occasional consumption of the same drinks. Consumption of spirits/bitters/alcoholic aperitifs only showed significant increases with regard to occasional drinking.

alcohol consumption in adulthood compared to in youth in Italy confirms the traditional Mediterranean characteristics in conjunction with the presence of patterns more typical of Northern Europe.