Figures published last year by the World Health Organisation show that Ireland has one of the highest rates of binge drinking in the world.
Ireland has ranked second in the world for binge drinking.
Men appear more likely to engage in binge drinking with 62.4% of male drinkers (aged 15+) saying they had engaged in ‘heavy episodic drinking’ in the last 30 days, compared to 33.1% of female drinkers.
Heavy episodic drinking is defined as consuming ‘at least 60 grams or more of pure alcohol on at least one occasion in the past 30 days’.
Types of alcohol consumed
Beer was the most highly consumed alcohol, accounting for 47% of all beverages. Wine was next at 26%, followed by spirits at 18.8% and other alcohols covering the remaining 6.2%.
Read the full WHO report here.
Healthy Ireland 2018
A Healthy Ireland survey for the year 2018 found that three-quarters of the participants have drunk alcohol in the past year, with 55% drinking at least once a week.
It also reported that 37% of drinkers admitted to binge drinking on a typical drinking occasion. (The survey considers binge drinking as consuming six or more standard drinks.)
Smokers more likely to binge drink
Interestingly, 54% of drinkers who also smoke binge drink on a typical drinking occasion, compared with 33% of non-smokers who drink.
Also included in the report was that 8% of drinkers said they had failed to do what was normally expected from them in the past 12 months because of drinking.
Interviews for the Healthy Ireland 2018 survey were conducted with a representative sample of the population aged 15 and older living in Ireland.
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