Key Points

• Contrast in the region between the two rates of alcohol consumption measured in 2017 among 18- to 75-year-olds:

  • daily prevalence rates were among the lowest in France: 3% among women, 14% among men,

  • weekly prevalence rates were among the highest in France: 28% among women, 60% among men.

• While wine and beer remained dominant throughout France, the prevalence of hard liquor consumers was highest in the Pays de la Loire region, with 13% of adults consuming it weekly.

• Close behind Brittany, the region recorded a particularly high prevalence of weekly drinkers among its young adults (ages 18–30): 41% compared to <36% elsewhere in metropolitan France (minimum 23% in Hauts-de-France). One in ten young adults reported an episode of heavy drinking at least once a week.

• The highest rates of alcohol consumption among 17-year-olds in the country: experimentation with alcohol 92%, regular use 12%, repeated heavy drinking episodes (more than 2 per month) 22%.

• Adverse morbidity and mortality indicators for alcohol-related conditions (3rd or 4th out of 13 regions):

  • 30 emergency room visits per day (71% due to alcohol poisoning),

  • Excess incidence and excess mortality among men for cancers of the lips, mouth, pharynx, and esophagus, as in other regions of the country’s Northwest; differences observed among the five departments of the Pays de la Loire depending on the type of cancer, with the department of Maine-et-Loire being the least affected by these conditions.

Guidelines for lower-risk consumption: “For your health, limit alcohol to a maximum of 2 drinks per day, and not every day.”