By . Daniel Martin . Last updated at 10:25 PM on 23rd November 2011 . Consumption of alcohol has soared in Britain over the last few decades while it has plummeted on the continent. Adults in the UK drink 9 per cent more than they did in 1980, making us the 11th booziest nation in Europe – although our intake has fallen slightly over the past few years. But over the same period, drinking in France fell by 37 per cent, Germany by 32 per cent, Spain by 46 per cent and Italy by 52 per cent. Wasted: A woman lies in the street after collapsing following a night out at a nearby club . Ireland, Finland and Sweden were the only other Western European nations to see drinking increase over the past 30 years, according to the report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The study also found Irish women had overtaken their British counterparts for the first time to be the most obese in Europe. However, Britain still has the fattest men, and our children are the third fattest – behind only Greece and Italy. The statistics will increase concerns over whether our lifestyle is making us one of the unhealthiest countries, leading to soaring rates of liver disease and diabetes. Last month, doctors from the Royal College of Physicians said drinkers should have three days off alcohol a week to help protect their livers. The OECD study found that in 2009, those . over the age of 15 in the UK drank an average of 10.2 litres of pure . alcohol – up 9 per cent on the figure in 1980. Developing nations such as India, China, Mexico and Brazil have seen huge increases over the period. But in Western Europe, only Finland (up 27 per cent), Ireland (up 18 per cent) and Sweden (up 10 per cent) saw larger rises. There were significant falls in the United States (down 15 per cent), Australia (down 22 per cent) and Canada (down 23 per cent). Across the 40-member bloc of the OECD, consumption declined by 9 per cent. The UK’s alcohol consumption in 2009 stood at 11th in the OECD. Top of the list was France, where annual consumption is 12.3 litres, followed closely by Portugal and Austria. Britain’s consumption was far ahead of Germany (9.7 litres), the United States (8.8 litres) and the OECD average (9.1 litres). However, the report found that the amount of alcohol being drunk has started to fall over the last few years, from a peak of more than 11 litres in 2004. Mark Pearson, head of the social policy unit at the OECD, said: ‘Alcohol is an undeniable health problem for the UK – in particular binge drinking. ‘Britain has a drinking culture far more than the continent, and other countries such as France have taken a tougher stance on taxation and so forth.’ Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: ‘These figures demonstrate just how reckless Labour were to unleash 24-hour drinking on our communities, leading to spiralling levels of alcohol consumption.’ Figures also showed smoking rates in the UK are below the European average. Around 21.5 per cent of adults smoke, down a fifth over the past decade. Greece is top with 39.7 per cent of adults smoking, up 5.6 per cent since 1999.
Britain is 11th booziest nation in Europe .
Doctors say drinkers should have three days off alcohol a week to protect their livers .
By . Daniel Martin . Last updated at 10:25 PM on 23rd November 2011 . Consumption of alcohol has soared in Britain over the last few decades while it has plummeted on the continent. Adults in the UK drink 9 per cent more than they did in 1980, making us the 11th booziest nation in Europe – although our intake has fallen slightly over the past few years. But over the same period, drinking in France fell by 37 per cent, Germany by 32 per cent, Spain by 46 per cent and Italy by 52 per cent. Wasted: A woman lies in the street after collapsing following a night out at a nearby club . Ireland, Finland and Sweden were the only other Western European nations to see drinking increase over the past 30 years, according to the report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The study also found Irish women had overtaken their British counterparts for the first time to be the most obese in Europe. However, Britain still has the fattest men, and our children are the third fattest – behind only Greece and Italy. The statistics will increase concerns over whether our lifestyle is making us one of the unhealthiest countries, leading to soaring rates of liver disease and diabetes. Last month, doctors from the Royal College of Physicians said drinkers should have three days off alcohol a week to help protect their livers. The OECD study found that in 2009, those . over the age of 15 in the UK drank an average of 10.2 litres of pure . alcohol – up 9 per cent on the figure in 1980. Developing nations such as India, China, Mexico and Brazil have seen huge increases over the period. But in Western Europe, only Finland (up 27 per cent), Ireland (up 18 per cent) and Sweden (up 10 per cent) saw larger rises. There were significant falls in the United States (down 15 per cent), Australia (down 22 per cent) and Canada (down 23 per cent). Across the 40-member bloc of the OECD, consumption declined by 9 per cent. The UK’s alcohol consumption in 2009 stood at 11th in the OECD. Top of the list was France, where annual consumption is 12.3 litres, followed closely by Portugal and Austria. Britain’s consumption was far ahead of Germany (9.7 litres), the United States (8.8 litres) and the OECD average (9.1 litres). However, the report found that the amount of alcohol being drunk has started to fall over the last few years, from a peak of more than 11 litres in 2004. Mark Pearson, head of the social policy unit at the OECD, said: ‘Alcohol is an undeniable health problem for the UK – in particular binge drinking. ‘Britain has a drinking culture far more than the continent, and other countries such as France have taken a tougher stance on taxation and so forth.’ Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: ‘These figures demonstrate just how reckless Labour were to unleash 24-hour drinking on our communities, leading to spiralling levels of alcohol consumption.’ Figures also showed smoking rates in the UK are below the European average. Around 21.5 per cent of adults smoke, down a fifth over the past decade. Greece is top with 39.7 per cent of adults smoking, up 5.6 per cent since 1999.
making us the 11th booziest nation in Europe – drinkers should have three days off alcohol a week to help protect their livers. The OECD study