What the change in Scotland’s consumption of alcohol has been since 2003 and what has contributed to this change.

Alcohol consumption can be measured in a number of ways. The Scottish Health Survey records usual weekly consumption and consumption on the heaviest drinking day in the previous week. Measures of consumption include the mean number of units drunk and the proportions drinking above and below various unit thresholds.
The proportion of men drinking over the weekly recommended limit (21 units) declined from 34% in 2003 to 30% in 2008. The equivalent figures for women (based on 14 units) were 23% and 20% respectively. Although the overall decline in men''s average weekly unit consumption was statistically significant, it was at the very margin of being so. The decline for women was not significant. Further years of data will need to be collected before firm conclusions can be reached about weekly drinking trends.
In relation to daily consumption, in 2008, 44% of men had drunk more than four units on their heaviest drinking day in the previous week and 27% said they drank more than eight units. The mean units consumed were 6.2. 36% of women reported drinking more than three units on the heaviest drinking day in the past week and 18% drank more than six units. The mean units consumed were 3.5. Levels of daily consumption were very similar in 2003 and 2008, with no significant differences. As with the weekly drinking trend figures, more years of data will need to be collected before any clear patterns can be identified.