Epidemiological study on alcohol consumption trends and on the effects of alcohol consumption on the human body. Note 3: Alcohol consumption in a sample of adult population

A sample of 517 subjects (231 males and 286 females) was randomized from the general population between the ages of 20 and 79 inclusive, in the district council of Rovescala (Pavia) which is a hilly region and 73% of its territory is wine producing. On this sample the consumption of alcohol (wine, beer and spirits) was evaluated. The prevalence of abstainers was of 8.7% of male and 43% of female. The average consumption of alcohol in grammes of ethanol/per capita/day was 54.3 g (sd. 43.4) for males and 13.5 g (sd 18.8) for females. The men drank more than the women in each of the age groups with percentages of drinkers varying between 88% and 94% (while for women there was the highest percentage of drinkers among the young 78%, and the lowest 46%, in the 30 - 39 age group). For males there was a statistically significant trend (p