Fewer Indians consuming alcohol, says latest family health survey

NEW DELHI: The percentage of Indian men consuming

alcohol

has fallen from 32% to 22% in the last 15 years, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) report. The percentage of women drinking alcohol has also dipped from 2.2% to 0.7% in the same time period.

The NFHS-5 survey has been conducted in around 6.37 lakh sample households in 707 districts in 28 states and eight Union Territories, covering 7,24,115 women and 1,01,839 men to provide dis-aggregated estimates up to district level.

As per NFHS-5 data, alcohol consumption among women has dipped across all age groups. Among women aged 15-49 who drink alcohol, 17% drink almost every day and 37% drink about once a week.

Alcohol consumption among men has also dropped across all age groups. Among men aged 15-49 who drink alcohol, 15% drink almost every day, 43% drink about once a week, and 42% drink less than once a week. The NFHS-5 showed that the proportion of men who drink alcohol decreased from 29% to 22% between NFHS-4 in 2015-16 and NFHS-5 in 2019-21.

The percentage of women who drink alcohol is by far the highest in

Arunachal Pradesh

(18%) and Sikkim (15%).

Alcohol use among men is highest in Goa (59%), Arunachal Pradesh (57%), and Telangana (50%) and is the lowest in Lakshadweep (1%).

"Drinking alcohol is more common among women from scheduled tribes (4%) than from any other caste/tribe group. Drinking is most common among Christian men (36%) and men belonging to “other" religions (49%), men with less than 5 years of schooling (33%), men from scheduled tribes (34%), and men age 35-49 (30%)." the report stated.

Alcohol consumption among men across all faiths has dipped over the years except in the Jain community.

Interestingly, the percentage of Sikh, Buddhist and Jain women who drink has increased between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5.

The last survey (NFHS-4, 2015-16) also found that drinking was most common among women from scheduled tribes (7%) than from any other caste/tribe group -- this figure was 14% in NFHS-3 (2005-06). It was also found in NFHS-4 that consumption of alcohol was most prevalent among Christian men and men belonging to “other" religions (43% each), men with no schooling (40%), men from scheduled tribes (41%), and men aged 35-49 (37%).
Tobacco use
The latest health survey report also stated that 39% of men and 4% of women aged between 15 and 49 years use some form of tobacco. Use of any kind of tobacco decreased from 45% and 7% among men and women in 2015-16 to 39% and 4% among men and women, respectively, in 2019-21.

"Thirty-nine per cent of men and 4% of women aged 15-49 use some form of tobacco. The most common form of tobacco consumption among men is chewing paan masala or gutkha (15%), followed closely by smoking cigarettes (13%), using khaini (12%), and smoking bidis (7%).
(With inputs from agencies)

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