From savouring flavours in France to binge drinking in Australia readers talk about the alcohol culture where they live
How much alcohol is safe to drink? It is a question scientists have been trying to get to the bottom of for centuries, and now a survey exploring drinking advice around the world has found that the answer varies greatly depending on where you live.
In the US, for example, three or four drinks a day (42g for women and 56g for men) is thought to be safe, but in Sweden that is well over the amount health authorities recommend: 10g for women and 20g for men. Whats more, a standard drink in Iceland and the UK is 8g of alcohol, compared to 20g in Austria.
Can these variations be attributed to the fact that each place has its unique drinking culture? We asked readers to summarise their countrys attitude towards alcohol and the unscientific, we should stress results seem to suggest we might all be tipping the scale when it comes to consuming a safe amount.
South Africa
It is varied, but most people drink socially, not generally to excess, but responsible drinking (not drinking and driving for example) is rare. We should have tighter drinking and driving laws. Dickon, 40
Spain
In the Spanish equivalent of a greasy spoon, workers stop for brunch with a beer followed by a big brandy then get into their cars and go back to work. Its the drink-driving that I dont like. Anonymous, 45
Australia
Binge drinking is glorified in Australia, and the focus is not on drinking in moderation or for enjoyment. We should be encouraging alcohol-free days. I am probably not a true representative of the Australian drinking population as I am a very light drinker I drink maybe once a month. Anonymous, 44
New Zealand
There is a big binge-drinking culture among the youth in the country and a huge part of the health budget and policing budget is spent on dealing with drink-driving, accident and emergency services, and other long-term harmful effects of alcohol. We have a robust liquor industry that lobbies the government fiercely to prevent regulation of alcohol sales. Advertising here has been grudgingly curtailed. Anonymous, 50
Japan
People often go to Izakayas [Japanese-style pub] after work on Fridays or special occasions with their colleagues. However, alcohol is nearly always drunk here alongside snacks or food, meaning very few people get incredibly drunk. There are some cases of people with alcohol-related problems in this country, but people dont drink alcohol in order to get drunk, but rather to relax.
Source: http://allofbeer.com/2017/10/29/which-countries-have-the-worst-drinking-cultures/