Document title: How much are people in Scotland really drinking? A review of data from Scotland's routine national surveys
Description:

This review assesses the extent to which Scotland's routine national surveys reflect true drinking behaviour. Comparing survey estimates with sales data, it shows that survey underestimation of alcohol consumption has increased (due to larger and stronger drinks) and suggests that people in Scotland may be drinking twice as much as surveys have previously reported. It presents survey trends in drinking over the last decade for both adults and children and interprets them in light of their validity. It concludes with recommendations for the improvement of Scottish survey data on alcohol consumption so that they provide a more accurate picture of Scottish drinking.
Author(s): Sonnda Catto, Diane Gibbs (NHS Health Scotland)
Publisher(s): NHS Health Scotland / ScotPHO
Date published: 26 May 2008
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Report: How much are people in Scotland really drinking? (988Kb)

Related additional resource:

In response to the findings of this review, NHS Health Scotland and the Scottish Government have worked together to recalculate drinking figures from the most recent Scottish Health Survey (2003) taking account of recent increases in drink strength. These revised alcohol consumption estimates have now been published by the Scottish Government in a detailed update of the analysis included in the 2003 Scottish Health Survey alcohol chapter (for adults - Volume 2: Chapter 1 and one table from the children's report - Volume 3: Chapter 1) published in November 2005.