Half of Brazilian Adults Consume Alcohol — and 1 in 5 Admit to Overdrinking, According to Datafolha

A national survey reveals the profile of alcohol consumption in Brazil: half of adults drink, and nearly 1 in 5 admit to overindulging.

A survey conducted by the Datafolha Institute¹ in April 2025 revealed that 49% of Brazilians aged 18 and over regularly consume alcoholic beverages. The largest group (20%) reported drinking once or twice a week, while 3% said they drink almost daily. Another 13% said they drink less frequently, about once a month or less.

Men Still Drink More — and More Often

The survey showed that alcohol consumption is still more prevalent among men, with 58% of them reporting alcohol use, compared to 42% of women. Men also drink more frequently: 10% reported drinking three to seven days a week, compared to just 2% of women.

However, research shows that the number of women who drink has been increasing over the years. Data from the latest Alcohol and the Health of Brazilians report, based on Vigitel², showed that non-abusive alcohol use among women rose from 16.5% in 2010 to 22.8% in 2023, while abusive use went from 10.5% to 15.2% in the same period.

Age, Income, and Religion Influence Drinking Habits

Alcohol consumption is most prevalent among young adults aged 18 to 34, with 58% reporting drinking. This percentage decreases with age: it drops to 46% in the 45–59 age group and to 35% among those aged 60 and over.

Income also plays a role. Among those earning 5 to 10 times the minimum wage, 64% drink alcohol. In contrast, only 43% of those earning up to 2 minimum wages report drinking.

Religion is another influential factor: 27% of Evangelicals report consuming alcohol, compared to 58% of Catholics.

A 2023 survey by Ipec³, commissioned by CISA, showed similar findings: among 18–34-year-olds, only 25% abstain from drinking, while 23% drink weekly or every other week. Regarding religion, that study also found similar patterns, with 27% of Evangelicals and 50% of Catholics reporting alcohol use.

Underage Drinking Among Teenagers

The study also explored the behavior of 16- and 17-year-olds, analyzing this data separately. It found that 27% of teenagers in this age group already consume alcohol. This is concerning, as drinking at this stage of life can have harmful consequences for adolescent development.

How Much Are People Drinking?

Among regular drinkers, the average consumption was 4.5 drinks in the week prior to the survey. Each drink was counted as a glass, can, cup, or cocktail. Twenty-three percent of respondents said they consumed more than 6 drinks during that week.

Despite this, 81% of drinkers believe they drink in moderation, while only 18% admit to overdrinking—11% say they drink more than they should, and 7% say they drink far too much.

Decline in Consumption: Trend or Misperception?

When asked about their alcohol consumption over the past year, 53% said they had reduced their drinking, 35% said it had remained stable, and only 12% reported an increase.

However, the average consumption remains high: 4.5 drinks in the previous week, which may already indicate abusive use. Two key takeaways emerge:

1. A significant portion of the population still consumes alcohol at harmful levels.
2. There is a disconnect between how people perceive their own consumption and public health guidelines.

The Ipec³ survey supported this conclusion, finding that among heavy drinkers (estimated at 17% of the population at the time), 75% believed they were moderate drinkers, and only 13% recognized the need to change their habits.

These data reveal that a significant portion of people engage in harmful alcohol use without recognizing it as problematic, highlighting the urgent need for public policies to raise awareness about excessive drinking and its associated harms.

References:

1. Instituto Datafolha. (2025, abril). Consumo de álcool no Brasil. Instituto Datafolha. https://media.folha.uol.com.br/datafolha/2025/05/05/dtfpncnsmbblcllca128242fasdfa.pdf
2. Álcool e a Saúde dos Brasileiros: Panorama 2024 - CISA - Centro de Informações sobre Saúde e Álcool [Internet]. cisa.org.br. Disponível em: https://cisa.org.br/biblioteca/downloads/artigo/item/485-panorama2024
3. Álcool e a Saúde dos Brasileiros: Panorama 2023 - CISA - Centro de Informações sobre Saúde e Álcool [Internet]. cisa.org.br. Disponível em: https://cisa.org.br/biblioteca/downloads/artigo/item/426-panorama2023