Irish among top alcohol consumers in OECD - report

Health at a Glance 2009 looks at issues ranging from health spending and lifestyle habits across 30 OECD countries, and found alcohol consumption among those 15 years and over in Ireland to be second highest in the group.

In Ireland in 2007 some 13.4 litres of “pure alcohol” were sold annually to those aged 15 or over, a level surpassed only by Luxembourg, where 15.5 litres were purchased. Lowest consumption was in Turkey, at 1.2 litres, while the OECD average was 9.7 litres per adult. Consumption in the UK was 11.2 litres per adult.

Although average alcohol consumption has fallen in many of the countries surveyed over 20 years, the report notes alcohol consumption per capita in Ireland, Iceland and Mexico rose by as much as 40 per cent or more since 1980.

The report also states that half or more of the adult population is now defined as being either overweight or obese in no less than 13 OECD countries, including Ireland. The other 12 countries are Mexico, the US, UK, Australia, Greece, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Hungary, Czech Republic, Portugal, Spain and Iceland.

In terms of obesity, highest levels among adults were in the US at 34.3 per cent, compared to 15 per cent among Irish adults. Lowest levels were in Japan, where rates stand at 3.4 per cent.

Among children, the report notes 14.3 per cent of those aged 11 to 15 years in Ireland were overweight or obese in 2005-2006, just above the OECD average of 13.8 per cent. Again, highest rates among children were in the US at almost 30 per cent, and lowest in the Netherlands at 8 per cent.

Ireland fares well in terms of life expectancy, at 79.7 years. The OECD average is 79.1 years. Lowest life expectancy in 2007 was in Turkey at 73.2 years, and the highest was in Japan at 82.6.

Turning to suicide rates, the report notes that rates in Ireland in 2006 at 8.9 per 100,000 of the population were lower than the OECD average of 11.1 per 100,000. Lowest rates were in Greece at 2.9 per 100,000, and highest were in Korea at 21.5 per 100,000.

Also below the OECD average were mortality rates from road incidents in Ireland, at 6.7 deaths per 100,000 in 2006. The OECD average was 9.6 deaths per 100,000. Highest rates were in Mexico at 18 per 100,000, and lowest were in the Netherlands at 4.4 per 100,000.

Looking at the health service, the report states Ireland spends less as a percentage of GDP on health than 22 other OECD countries. It says 7.6 per cent of GDP went on health spending in Ireland in 2007 compared to the average of 8.9 per cent. The US had the highest levels of health spending as a portion of GDP, at 16 per cent.

The Department of Health said if health expenditure was calculated as a percentage of gross national income (GNI), which does not include exported profits, Ireland’s spending rises to 8.9 per cent, putting the State in line with the OECD average.

Source: Eithne Donnellan, The Irish Times, 09/12/2009