Young people drink mostly in weekends

Relatively many young people are heavy drinkers. They drink six or more glasses a day on at least one day a week, preferably at the weekend.

Alcohol consumption by age and sex, 2001/2002

Proportion of drinkers stable

More than 80 percent of the Dutch population aged 12 years and older sometimes drink alcoholic beverages. This percentage has not changed much in recent years.

More men than women drink

Between the ages of 12 and 17 the percentage of drinkers increases from 10 to nearly 90, and only starts to decrease gradually after the age of 60 to around 70 percent for those aged over 75.

Drinkers and heavy drinkers by sex, 2001/2002

Fewer heavy drinkers in 2002

The percentage of heavy drinkers was lower in 2002 than in 2001. It was highest for both men and women among 18-24 year-olds. Relatively speaking there are four times as many heavy drinkers among men as among women.

Eight drinks a week

The Dutch drink an average eight glasses a week. Men drink eleven, women six. Men drink most around the age of twenty, while women drink most between the ages of 45 and 64 years.

Alcohol consumption by age and weekdays/weekend, 2001/2002

Young people drink most in weekends

More than sixty percent of total alcohol consumption per week takes place in the weekends. Young people drink nearly only in the weekends: Twelve to seventeen year-olds drink as much as 90 percent of their total weekly intake in the weekend. Drinkers in other age groups spread their intake more evenly across the week.

Alcohol consumption by education and sex, 2001/2002

Higher educated women more likely to drink

Men and women with only primary education drink least. Higher educated women drink twice as much as those with lower educational levels.

Frans Frenken