Only one percent Indian women drink alcohol

Only 1 percent of women in India within 15-49 age group drink alcoholic beverage, compared to 29 percent of Indian men in the same age group.

Among women in India within 15-49 age group who drink alcoholic beverage, 18 percent drink it almost every day and 35 percent drink alcohol about once a week, according to recently published findings of a survey, released by the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW).

MoH&FW conducted a nationwide survey for 15-49 age group people under National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4). Specific findings on alcohol from the report were presented to demonstrate alcohol drinking pattern, especially among women in India.

However, among men in India within 15-49 age group who drink alcohol, 12 percent drink it almost every day, 41 percent drink alcohol about once a week, and 48 percent drink less than once a week. Data shows that in the 35-49 years age group, women and men are drinking more alcohol in India, in comparison to other age groups.

Prevailing Trends

The proportion of men in India within 15-49 age group who drink alcoholic beverage has decrease slightly, from 32 percent to 29 percent, between NFHS-3 in 2005-06 and NFHS-4 in 2015-16.

During that period, the proportion of women (within 15-49 age group) who drink alcoholic beverage has also decreased from 2 percent to 1 percent. According to the findings of the survey, drinking alcoholic beverage is more common among women from scheduled tribes (which is 7 percent) in India,than from women of any other caste/tribe group.

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