A recent study from The Global Drug Survey has revealed which countries’ residents are averaging getting drunk the most often. And according to the research, the United States is fairly high on the global scale — with people reporting being drunk 50 days a year on average. To which the U.K. said, — and this may be the best and only time to say this overused phrase — “Hold my beer.”
Residents in the United Kingdom reported being drunk more than any other country in the world, an average of 51 times per year. The results come as part of the 2019 Global Drug Survey, which had researchers speak to over 123,814 people from more than 30 countries about their alcohol and drug consumption. With the global average being just 33 drunk days per year, pushing into the fifties is definitely something we, along with Australia, Canada, and Denmark who were also in the top five, should be concerned about.
“Deaths due to alcoholic liver disease and cancer due to excessive alcohol consumption are on the rise, along with obesity and poorer mental health… Drinking too much makes all these worse; drinking less make them better,” says Global Drug Survey founder and addiction psychiatrist Adam Winstock according to CNN.
The countries with the most moderate consumption on the list? Surprisingly, beer titan Germany is in the bottom three — with 21 days of drunkenness on average, followed by Portugal at 20, and finally, Chile, whose residents are really keeping it together with 16 days per year.
The study also indicates that alcohol consumption, in general, is up worldwide. According to research published in The Lancet, per capita alcohol consumption has increased from 5.7 liters in 1990 to 6.5 liters in 2017 annually worldwide, with current trends suggesting reaching 7.6 liters by 2030.
Meaning, we’re drinking 0.7 liters more alcohol than our 90s counterparts — who chose frosted tips and Jncos. And they were soberer than us on average, let that sink in.
For anyone who is unsure if they’re drinking unhealthy amounts too often, The Global Drug Survey has created an app to help. “The Drinks Meter” is designed to aid you in keeping track of how much you drink. And it could be a good tool to keep count of how many drinks you are actually having on a night out — so you can adjust accordingly if you’re overdoing. Word to the wise though: Try not to update that number in the club bathroom. No app is particularly helpful once your phone is in the toilet.
