Alcohol: adult alcohol consumption

Information on adult alcohol consumption in Scotland is available from two sources, the Scottish Health Survey and the General Household Survey.

The Scottish Health Survey 2003 reported that:

• Young men and women (aged 16-24) drank an average of 17 and 9.5 units per week respectively, while older men and women (aged 65-74) drank an average of 13 and 4  units per week respectively.
• 29% of men and 15% of women aged between 65 and 74 years drank on 5 or more days per week compared to 6% of men and 2% of women aged between 16 and 24 years.
• 10% of men and 22% of women aged between 65 and 74 years reported never drinking or not drinking in the past year compared to 10% of men and 9% of women aged between 16 and 24 years.
• Men aged 16 years and over in semi routine and routine occupations had a higher weekly average alcohol consumption (18.5 units) compared to men in managerial and professional occupations (17.1 units).
• Women aged 16 years and over in semi routine and routine occupations had a lower weekly average alcohol consumption (5.4 units) compared to women in managerial and professional occupations (8.0 units).
• There was no clear relationship between deprivation and drinking behaviour.

The General Household Survey 2003 also reported that:

• In 2003, 16% of men and 8% of women aged 16 years and over had drunk alcohol on at least five of the preceding seven days.
• In 2003, 73% of men and 59% of women in Scotland aged 16 and over drank in the previous week, compared to 75% of men and 60% of women in England.
• 16% of men and 8% of women in Scotland compared with 23% of men and 14% of women in England drank on 5 or more days in the previous week.