Lifestyles

Alcohol abuse, for 8.2 million Italians health at risk from the age of 11

Emergency women, young people and the elderly and meanwhile of the 730,000 consumers who already have physical or mental alcohol-related impairments only 8.3% are intercepted by National Health Service facilities

by Health Review

15 April 2026

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

Beware of young people, women and the elderly
"Binge drinking" in the feminine
Only 8.3% taken in by services
Women and alcohol
Youth and alcohol
Seniors and alcohol

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Approximately 8.2 million people over the age of 11 (21.8% of males and 9.1% of females) have consumed alcoholic beverages in quantities and frequency that put their health at risk. Half of them, i.e. four million 450 thousand people - 79 thousand of whom are under 18 - drink 'to get drunk' through so-called 'binge drinking'. And there are 730 thousand consumers in whom alcohol has already caused harm and who would need clinical treatment, but only 8.3 per cent are intercepted by the SSN and taken in charge by the services. All this against a background of 36 million alcohol consumers in Italy in 2024, equal to 76.7 per cent of men and 57.1 per cent of women.

The National Alcohol Observatory (ONA) of the Higher Institute of Health, which presents the annual Istisan epidemiological report on the occasion of the international workshop 'Alcohol Prevention Day - XXV edition', draws the picture, relaunching data on 'bad' lifestyles on which Istat had already turned the spotlight in recent weeks.

Beware of young people, women and the elderly

Among the eight million two hundred thousand people who consumed alcoholic beverages in a manner, quantity and frequency that was detrimental to their health, young people of both sexes (about 1,270,000 between the ages of 11 and 24, of whom 580,000 were minors), women (about 2.5 million, with a share of 13.3% among 11-17 year old minors) and elderly males are of particular concern.

'Precisely on at-risk consumers,' emphasises Claudia Gandin, of the Iss's National Alcohol Observatory, 'one could act with early identification and brief intervention, Ipib, an approach for which on behalf of the Ministry of Health the ONA is working by carrying out specific training courses for the National Health Service'.

"Binge drinking" in the feminine

The phenomenon of binge drinking has increased significantly, especially among women, with an increase of 84% in a decade (from 2.5% in 2014 to 4.6% in 2024). In men, on the other hand, a growth of 24% is observed over the same period, with no signs of reduction for this consumption mode originally widespread in Northern European countries, which is currently also on the rise in Mediterranean countries, including Italia.

Consumption outside meals is also on the increase, particularly among women (24.6%): among them, 1.25 million claim to drink with the aim of getting drunk.

Only 8.3% taken in by the services

Of the 730,000 so-called harmful consumers, i.e. those who already present physical or mental alcohol-related impairments, 250,000 are women. People who would need clinical treatment, but only 8.3 per cent are intercepted by the SSN and taken into care by the services.

'Particularly critical,' Gandin observes, 'is the situation of the elderly population, one of the targets least reached by prevention activities. This group has the highest proportion of harmful consumers (2.34% among males and 1.19% among females over 65), who are often not intercepted by the services and professionals of the National Health Service'.

Women and alcohol

In 2024, 57.1% of Italian women over the age of 11 consumed at least one alcoholic beverage during the year: almost 16 million people. There are more than 2.5 million (9.1%) female consumers at risk, while 4.6% of women have been drunk, with a trend of continuous growth in consumption over the last 10 years.

Of concern is the steady increase over the past 10 years in the percentage of women who consume alcohol away from meals (24.6% in 2024, +49.3% compared to 2014) and who drink to get drunk (binge drinking) (4.6% in 2024, +78.7% compared to 2014), which affects all age groups, especially women of childbearing age and the elderly. Among minors (11-17 years old), 13.3% are at-risk drinkers, as many as 260,000, 5.6% have consumed alcohol away from meals, and 1.5% have practised binge drinking.

For this reason, according to the ONA experts, 'targeted actions are particularly relevant for young people, women of childbearing age and during pregnancy; for all of them, widespread information on the correlation between alcohol and an increased risk of developing breast cancer is urgently needed'.

Youth and alcohol

In Italy, 1.2 million 11 to 24 thousand 11 to 24 year olds are at-risk users, 18.2% of males and 13.1% of females. Among them, 580,000 are minors (15.5% of males and 13.3% of females aged 11-17). Amongst 18-24 year olds there are approximately 690,000 risk drinkers (21.0% of males and 12.9% of females). The prevalence of binge drinking remains high: 730,000 11-24 year olds, 11.1% of males and 6.9% of females, including 79,000 minors. Among 18-24 year olds, the most consumed drinks are beer (64.9%) and alcoholic aperitifs (64.3%) among males, while among females, aperitifs prevail (58.4%) followed by beer (41.9%).

Seniors and alcohol

In 2024, there will be 2.450 million over 65 year olds at risk, 26.9% of males and 6.3% of females, the elderly who overeat on a daily basis. The risky behaviours most practised by the elderly are consumption outside meals practised by 30.0 per cent of males and 10.3 per cent of females, followed by habitual excessive consumption practised by 26.9 per cent of males and 6.3 per cent of females. 5.5% of males and 1.4% of females over 65 have practised binge drinking. There has been a continuous increase in consumption outside meals over the last 10 years (+22% in males compared to 2014 and +80.7% in females), which also distances the over-65s from the traditional Mediterranean drinking pattern.

The most consumed drink and reference for alcohol risk in this age group remains, as in previous years, wine, for both men and women.