Aims

To support the free and open dissemination of research findings and information on alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. To encourage open access to peer-reviewed articles free for all to view.

For full versions of posted research articles readers are encouraged to email requests for "electronic reprints" (text file, PDF files, FAX copies) to the corresponding or lead author, who is highlighted in the posting.

___________________________________________

Friday, December 7, 2007

APPARENT PER CAPITA ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION:
NATIONAL, STATE, AND REGIONAL TRENDS, 1977–2005
SURVEILLANCE REPORT #82
Examines trends in the consumption of alcohol in the United States. Findings are based on alcoholic beverage sales data, either collected by the Alcohol Epidemiologic Data System (AEDS) from States or provided by beverage industry sources. Population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census were used to calculate rates. The report provides data on national consumption of beer, wine, and distilled spirits as well as for all alcoholic beverages combined; consumption trends for each State for the same beverage categories; and consumption trends for each type of beverage and all beverages combined for U.S. regions.

The following are highlights from the current report, which updates consumption trends through 2005:

  • United States per capita consumption of ethanol from all alcoholic beverages combined in 2005 was 2.24 gallons, representing a 0.4 percent increase from 2.23 gallons in 2004. The increase is due to the increase in per capita consumption of wine (from 0.35 to 0.36 gallons ethanol) and spirits (from 0.68 to 0.70 gallons ethanol). However, per capita consumption of beer decreased (from 1.21 to 1.19 gallons ethanol).
  • Between 2004 and 2005, changes in overall per capita consumption of ethanol included increases in 29 states, decreases in 20 states and the District of Columbia, and no change in two states.
  • Analysis of overall per capita alcohol consumption by census region between 2004 and 2005 indicated increases in the Northeast (0.4 percent), the West (0.4 percent), and the Midwest (1.8 percent), and a decrease in the South (0.5 percent).

  • Healthy People 2010 has set the national objective for reducing per capita alcohol consumption to no more than 1.96 gallons ethanol. However, there has been an increasing trend in per capita consumption since 1999. To meet the 2010 objective, per capita alcohol consumption will need to decrease by 12.5 percent, or about 3 percent per year from 2006 through 2010.


Read Full Report (PDF)
____________________________________________________________
at