The Challenges of Changing a Country’s Alcohol Consumption Culture: The Case of Finland

A Finnish study shows how abusive alcohol use remains high in the country despite an average decline in consumption, highlighting the challenges of transforming a culture of alcohol consumption.

It is known that some patterns of alcohol consumption are more harmful than others. Abusive consumption, or binge drinking, characterized by a focus on intoxication, is associated with over 200 types of diseases, while moderate consumption, especially with meals, presents a significantly lower risk of problems. Some countries, like those with Mediterranean cultures, are characterized by a high prevalence of daily alcohol consumption (which reflects a high per capita consumption rate, calculated as the average total consumption of people aged 15 and older), primarily to accompany meals (for example, Spain, Italy, Portugal), but have relatively low levels of binge drinking. This means that in these countries, alcohol is consumed frequently but in small amounts, which is considered less harmful. In contrast, other countries, like Romania, exhibit low frequency of consumption but a high prevalence of abusive use (1). Since patterns of use are intrinsically linked to a country’s culture, it is important to closely observe the consumption habits of the population.

Changes in a society's alcohol consumption can have various causes, stemming from broader social, cultural, and economic changes or from specific normative or policy changes related to alcohol. These changes can materialize in new drinking groups, new consumption situations, or altered consumption patterns. These aspects need to be examined to understand the dynamics of changes in alcohol consumption and the implications they may have for the future.

One study (2) examined changes in alcohol consumption in Finland between 2000 and 2016, analyzing alterations by age group, gender, and consumption level. The aim was to understand how alcohol consumption is distributed in the population and how, over time, consumption patterns change. Specifically, the study sought to understand if changes in the overall level of consumption (per capita consumption) affect its distribution—that is, whether light, moderate, and heavy consumption change equally or whether the shape of the alcohol consumption distribution remains unchanged. Additionally, the study aimed to investigate whether there was evidence of a shift toward a more Mediterranean style of consumption when per capita consumption decreased in the country—specifically, whether consumption became more distributed, with alcohol consumption occurring on more occasions but with less alcohol per occasion. The main data source was the Finnish Drinking Habits Survey (FDHS) conducted in 2000, 2008, and 2016. Participants constituted a random sample of Finnish residents aged 15 to 69.

The results showed that the increase in per capita consumption in the early 2000s was driven by an increase in consumption frequency among older adults and a rise in binge drinking episodes among women. During this period, the older population approached the younger one in terms of both consumption frequency and binge drinking levels.

After 2008, there was a reduction in per capita consumption, accompanied by a decrease in regular consumption frequency and binge drinking, especially among men and youth. This change in patterns was accompanied by reduced mortality rates, with deaths due to alcohol-related injuries as a contributing cause decreasing from nearly 1,000 in 2006 to about 550 in 2015 (according to Statistics Finland). Other factors may be at play; for example, improved treatment for alcoholism or safer roads, but according to the study’s authors, the reduction in binge drinking likely contributed significantly to this positive outcome.

Many political actors desire to change the culture of alcohol consumption to reduce intoxication problems and create a “temperance” or “moderation” culture. In Finland, however, there is no evidence that the reduction in binge drinking occurred due to this shift in consumption style. The present study also showed that the maximum amounts consumed in a day by Finnish men are still very high, and abusive use remains a problem to be addressed. Furthermore, although the most significant reduction in binge drinking was observed among young men, the results indicated that this pattern continues to be more prevalent in this group. Thus, while the decrease in consumption has yielded good public health outcomes, the authors conclude that much remains to be done, and public policies are needed to combat excessive alcohol consumption in Finland.

Brazil has also observed a reduction in per capita alcohol consumption over the past decade, but unlike Finland, there has not been a corresponding decrease in abusive use, nor solid evidence of changes in the population’s consumption patterns toward a more moderate style. This prompts reflection on the importance and challenges of promoting a less harmful consumption culture that contributes to reducing abuse, as well as the need for specific public policies to address this issue.

References:

1. Eurostat. (n.d.). Alcohol consumption statistics.https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Alcohol_consumption_statistics(accessed October 17, 2024).
2. Mäkelä, P., & Härkönen, J. (2021). When tides turn: How does drinking change when per capita alcohol consumption drops? Addiction Research & Theory, 29(7-8), 567-575.