European Alcoho... / Resources / Country Profiles / Portugal
Portugal
Portugal produces a wide range of alcoholic beverages, wine being the most important among them. Both men and women tend to consume alcoholic beverages daily, particularly in the form of wine with meals. There is also a widespread attitude that alcoholic beverages are a necessary element of daily nutrition.
Recorded adult per capita consumption of alcoholic beverages has declined in Portugal from about 14 litres in the early 1960s to about 11 litres by the late 1990s, much of which has been accounted for by decreased wine consumption. [1]
According to a representative national survey in 1997, 52.1% of males and 13.2% of females drink on two or more days each week. Those aged 24-35 were most frequent drinkers (37.3% drinking 2-12 drinks a day). [2]
Youth drinking: According to the 1997/1998 HBSC survey (total sample size 1245), 29% of 15-year-old boys and 9% of 15-year-old girls reported drinking beer, wine or spirits at least weekly. [3]
Furthermore, a representative national survey of the same year showed that 12.5% of young people (ages 15-24) drank alcohol every day and a further 18.5% two to three times a week.[4]
In the 1999 ESPAD study of subjects 15 to 16 years old (sample tize 3609), the proportion of subjects who reported being drunk three times or more in the last 30 days was 4% total. [5]
The SDR per 100,000 people for chronic liver disease and cirrhosis was 17.51 in 1999 and 16.03 in 2000. [6]
The number of alcohol-related road traffic accidents per 100,000 people was 17.76 in 1997 and 21.84 in 1999. [7]
Alcohol Policy
Until 1988, there were no explicit policy statements concerning alcohol. The Portuguese Committee Against Alcoholism had, however, prepared a basis for such a policy in the form of proposals where were presented to the Minister of Health at the end of 1986, including suggestions and recommendations regarding preventative alcohol policy.
A decree issued by the government in November 1988 led to the implementing of regional alcohol centres in accordance with the government health programmes. Centres' objectives were to prevent and treat alcohol-related diseases, rehabilitate the patients, coordinate the prevention activities, as well as to inform and educate people about alcohol and alcoholism.
Further legislation has been drafted and passed regarding refinements to the above approach, including a more detailed approach to national campaigns which spotlight the perils of excessive consumption by pregnant women, children, teenagers and excessive drinkers in general. [8]
Alcohol Advertising
Alcohol advertising was first regulated in 1981 by a law that discouraged advertisers from misleading advertisements and dishonest activities. Further legislation was passed to restrict alcohol advertisements during particular television and radio time slots, as well as on billboards and in cinemas. The alcohol industry follows a self-regulating code which details the conditions under which advertising is allowed, regardless of the media used. [9]
[1] World Drink Trends (2002 (Henley-on-Thames, United Kingdom, Productschap voor Gedistilleerde Dranken and World Advertising Research Centre Ltd.)
[2] & [4] Gameiro, A. Hábitos de Consumo de bebidas alcoólicas em Portugal 1985, 1991, 1997. See also 'Alcohol violence against children and women in Azores' in Gameiro, A. (2000) Alcoolismo nos Açores e na Madeira. Editorial Hospitalidade, Lisbon: Portugal.
[3] Health Behaviour in School-aged Children: a WHO Cross-National Study (HBSC) International Report. Copenhagen, World Health Organization, 2000.
[5] Hibell B et al. The 1999 ESPAD Report. The European School Survey on Alcohol and Other Drugs: Alcohol and Other Drug Use Among Students in 30 European Countries. Stockholm, Council of Europe, 2000.
[6] & [7] European health for all database. World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe (http://hfadb.who.dk/hfa)
[8] & [9] Karlsson, Thomas & Österberg, Esa. "Chapter 15: Portugal." Alcohol Policies in EU Member States and Norway: A Collection of Country Reports. Esa Österberg and Thomas Karlsson, Eds. May 2003. P. 341-362.
