The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a series of alcohol country factsheets for Europe, including for the UK [pdf].
The resource provides a range of available data and policy rankings for each country compared with the EU average. The UK factsheet draws on a range of data sources, highlighting trends and figures shown in other reports such as the annual Statistics on Alcohol for England.
Whilst identifying the overall decline in UK consumption, the factsheet does not explicitly highlight the role of young people's drinking as driving force behind the change; adult's consumption has been stable or risen in older aged drinkers.
In comparison to EU countries, the factsheet indicates the UK is close to the average for heavy episodic drinking, with 30% of adults doing so within the last month (60g/7.5 units or more on at least one occasion). These figures may appear at odds with findings from the recent Global Drugs Survey which placed the UK top for the number of times people reported getting drunk in the last year, although likely reaching a different cohort of respondents with a different set of questions.
Following significant declines in young people's drinking, the factsheet highlights the UK is now close to EU averages for rates of abstention, consumption and heavy episodic drinking amongst 15-19 year olds, although alcohol-attributable mortality is below the average. Whilst some groups are keen to highlight positive falls in consumption, others still argue more needs to be done to highlight risks and CMO guidelines regarding children and young people's drinking.
A more complex picture
Meanwhile, other groups highlight rising problems amongst older adults, and that drinking has not fallen amongst heavier and dependent drinking groups, calling for an end to cuts to treatment services and stronger policy approaches.
The WHO factsheet ranks the UK's policy response according to a 2016 assessment against its European action plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol 2012–2020. Whilst ranking the UK is ranked as strong on some areas such as leadership and awareness, control of illicit alcohol and monitoring, it performs close to average on most areas, and below for drink-driving due to England's higher limit.
Assessing the UK as a whole on alcohol policy may be a rather blunt exercise, particular considering Scotland's public health based approach including minimum pricing. In many regards England has taken a counter approach, resisting tighter national policy levers in favour of 'local partnerships' focused on alcohol-related disorder.
In 2015 a report assessed the UK's four nations on alcohol policy, stating Westminster did not support the most effective policies, made inconsistent use of evidence, and was the most engaged with the alcohol industry. The WHO state the factsheets aim to give guidance to national decision-makers for further priority-setting in the field of alcohol and public health. With reports of a new national alcohol strategy for England having gone quiet, observers may feel change in this area is still some way off.
Comments