28th August, 2006
As many as 15 per cent of adult males and 12 per of adult females - about 1 in 8 Australians - are drinking at risky or high risk levels, according to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Drawing on data from the National Health Survey (NHS) in 2004-05, the ABS found that 62 per cent of adults drank alcohol in the week prior to the NHS survey interview with the majority - 78 per cent - doing so at a “low risk” level.

However, the data also showed that the proportion of people drinking at a risky or high risk level - also known as binge drinking - had increased from 8.2 per cent in 1995 to 13.4 per cent in 2004-05.

It found the proportion of women drinking at risky or high risk levels has increased by 6.2 per cent to 11.7 per cent over the period compared with an increase of 10.3 per cent to 15.2 per cent for males.

The NHS survey also found that 48 per cent of males and 30 per cent of females aged 18 and over had been involved in binge drinking on at least one occasion in the year prior to the data collection.

- DAVID ADAMS