US alcohol consumption falls in 2009

The latest annual surveillance report produced by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), on apparent per capita alcohol consumption in the United States, shows the first fall in apparent per capita alcohol consumption in 10 years.

The report, which updates consumption trends through 2009, shows that US per capita consumption of ethanol from all alcoholic beverages combined in 2009 was 2.30 gallons, representing a 0.9 percent decrease from 2.32 gallons in 2008.

Between 2008 and 2009, changes in overall per capita consumption of ethanol included increases in 9 States, decreases in 34 States and the District of Columbia,and no change in 7 States.

Analysis of overall per capita alcohol consumption by census region between 2008 and 2009 indicated decreases of 0.4% in the Midwest, 0.9% in the South, and 1.2% in the West, with no change in the Northeast.

However, the national public health objectives as set out in ‘Healthy People 2010’ has set the national objective for reducing per capita alcohol consumption to no more than 1.96 gallons of ethanol.

NIAA concludes that the prospect of reaching the Year 2010 national objective does not appear promising. From 1999 to 2008, there was a trend of increasing per capita consumption. 2009 is the first year in a decade in which a decrease in per capita consumption has been observed. To meet the 2010 objective, per capita alcohol consumption will need to decrease by 14.8 percent within one year.

NIAA Apparent Per Capita Alcohol Consumption: National, State, and Regional Trends, 1977–2009. 2011