ALAC report highlights changing nature of drinking

ALAC report highlights changing nature of drinking

The incidence of adult drinkers aged 18+ who reported they got drunk on the last occasion they consumed alcohol, whether they planned to or not, was significantly lower in 2009-10 than in 2008-09 as reported in the latest release of the ALAC Alcohol Monitor of Drinking Behaviours.

In the annual monitor for 2009-2010 – prepared by Research New Zealand – 13% of self-identified drinkers reported they got drunk on the last occasion they consumed alcohol and 7% of drinkers reported they had planned to do so. This compares to figures of 18% and 10% in 2008-2009.

With the adoption of a tighter definition of “binge drinkers” ALAC has brought its approach more in-line with that of other jurisdictions (e.g. Australia), the percentage of reported drinkers classified as “binge drinkers” declined for the first time since 2005-2006.

For 2009-2010 adult drinkers were defined as “binge drinkers” if they had consumed the equivalent of seven or more standard drinks on the last occasion they drank alcohol only, without also including any occasion in the last two weeks, as was previously the case. The threshold for young drinkers (ages 12-17) is five standard drinks.

The majority of adults 18 years or older who were interviewed in 2009-10 reported that they drink alcohol to some extent. According to the annual monitor, the percentage of non drinkers for adults is 16% (significantly more likely to be female than male) and for young people aged 12 to 17 the percentage classified as non-drinkers is 68%.

Of drinkers aged 18+ the percentage split between “moderate drinkers” and “binge drinkers” is given as 68% and 21%. Adults classified as “binge drinkers” prefer beer (41%), spirits (32%), wine (16%) and RTDs (11%).

Over one-third of adult “binge drinkers” had got drunk on their last drinking occasion (38 percent) compared with just four percent of “moderate drinkers”. Twenty-one percent of adult “binge drinkers” had planned to get drunk compared with two percent of “moderate drinkers”.

“Binge drinkers” were more likely to have consumed alcohol in a pub than “moderate drinkers”, and in the youth survey it was noted that young “binge drinkers” are more likely than “moderate drinkers” to be Māori.

Overall youth figures for most recently consumed type of alcohol show only RTDs had declined (by 7%) between 2008-2009 and 2009-2010, putting RTDs on a par with beer (at 36% each), followed by spirits (17%) and wine (8%).

Other findings included:
A significantly greater proportion of adult “binge drinkers” mainly consumed spirits compared to “moderate drinkers”.

Significantly fewer drinkers were consuming alcohol at a friend’s or relative’s home in 2009 than in 2008.

“Binge drinkers” were more likely to have consumed alcohol in a pub than “moderate drinkers”.
Note: The survey was conducted by telephone and for 2009-2010 much larger numbers were interviewed, 1809 adults compared to 703 in 2008-2009, and 1203 youth aged 12-17 compared to 496 in 2008-2009. Interviews for the 2009-2010 monitor were conducted in November-December 2009. The report date is 14 January 2011.

ENDS

See: http://www.alac.org.nz/DBTextworks/PDF/2009-10-Annual-Summary-Report-FINAL.pdf