How Britain’s vices REALLY fares against the rest of the world
British women were this week shamed as the biggest binge drinkers in the developed world.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found 26 per cent were downing more than six drinks in one go at least once a month.
Meanwhile, nearly half of British men binged regularly, ranking them third in the world.
But alcohol isn’t the UK’s only vice. Britons are also among the biggest vapers and junk food addicts in the world, according to a swathe of research.
Here MailOnline has analysed studies involving up to 188 countries to assess how the UK stacks up against other nations.
Ultra-processed food
A 2021 report found out of 23 European nations, Brits come second only to Swedes in their taste for sausages, cake, ready meals, biscuits and fizzy drinks. MailOnline analysis of the data shows ultra-processed food and drink laden with sugar, fat and salt accounted for 40.5 per cent of the average Brit’s daily diet
The Nova system, developed by scientists in Brazil more than a decade ago, splits food into four groups based on the amount of processing it has gone through
Britons come second only to Swedes in their love of junk food, according to a 2021 report that looked at 23 European nations.
MailOnline analysis of the data shows ultra-processed food and drink — such as sausages, crisps and fizzy drinks — accounted for 40.5 per cent of the average Brit’s daily energy intake.
This puts the UK lower than Sweden (42.2 per cent) but higher than Germany (38.45 per cent), the Netherlands (37.15 per cent) and Ireland (33.55 per cent).
Meanwhile, separate data shows ultra-processed food accounts for 57 per cent of the calories consumed per day by the average person in the US.
Another study puts the figure at 43.7 per cent in Australia.
Separate figures suggest the toll stands at 20 per cent of in Brazil, 30 per cent in Mexico and 48 per cent in Canada.
The category refers to foods that are high in added fat, sugar and salt, low in protein and fibre and contain artificial colourings, sweeteners and preservatives.
Eating small amounts of these foods is not thought to be harmful. But experts are increasingly concerned about our apparent growing dependence on them.
Sugary drink intake
People in the UK have almost four-and-a-half sugary drinks a week on average, including fizzy cola, lemonade, energy drinks and fruit-flavoured drinks, based on the latest available data for 2018. Our total was also far higher than the 2.8 drinks recorded in France, 2.7 in Germany and 3.1 drinks a week in Australia
Brits consume almost four-and-a-half sugary drinks a week on average, such as cola, lemonade and fruit-flavoured drinks, research shows.
It is the highest figure logged in western of Europe, apart from Belgium.
For comparison, the average person in Italy consumes 1.5 sugary drinks each week. The UK also consumes more than France (2.8), Germany (2.7) and Australia (3.1(.
This is despite the evidence that too much sugar can lead to tooth decay, obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
But the study, based on data from 185 countries for 2018, shows people in Rwanda consume the most sugar-packed beverages, with a weekly average of 34.
Coffee intake
Finns are most fond of the coffee bean, grinding their way through an impressive 10.5kg per person per year, latest data shows. Its Nordic neighbours, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Norway, all also rank among the top ten each consuming more than 7.5kg, according to 2022 figures from the International Coffee Organization (ICO)
It’s been shown to guard against Alzheimer’s and heart disease when consumed a few times a day but, in high quantities, it is linked to high blood pressure and anxiety.
But the average Brit should escape the negative side effects of drinking coffee, as we consume 3.6kg, on average per year. This equates to roughly 360 cups of coffee annually, or one a day.
Meanwhile, Finns are most fond of the coffee bean, grinding their way through an impressive 10.5kg per person per year, latest data shows.
Its Nordic neighbours, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Norway, all also rank among the top ten each consuming more than 7.5kg, according to 2022 figures from the International Coffee Organization (ICO).
Australia and the US consume an annual average of 5.2kg and 5kg per person, respectively.
Wine drinking
‘Pinking up’ drinks, ‘wine moms’ needing a drink to relax, and women’s financial independence are just some of the reasons British women are drinking more, experts have claimed this week. But statistics compiled by the Oxford University-based OurWorldInData suggest Brits generally may not actually be the heaviest wine drinkers in the world
According to OECD data released this week, nearly one in five adults reported binge drinking at least once a month, on average across 29 OECD countries in 2019. The figure varies 10-fold, from less than 3 per cent in Turkey to more than 30 per cent in Germany, Luxembourg, the UK and Denmark
The rise of ‘pink drinks’, ‘wine mums’ and being financially better off are just some of the reasons British women are drinking more, experts have claimed this week.
That’s according to the OECD’s annual report on population health worldwide, which showed one in four women in the UK binge drink monthly — more than any other developed country.
However, statistics compiled by the Oxford University’s OurWorldInData platform suggests Brits generally are not the heaviest wine drinkers in the world.
France takes top spot, guzzling 6.44 litres of pure alcohol annually (53.67 litres of wine or 307 standard 175ml glasses), with Portugal in second at 6.04 litres (50.33 litres of wine or 288 glasses).
The UK, however, sits in 20th place — behind Australia — consuming just half of France’s total at 3.3 litres of pure alcohol each year.
This equates to roughly 27.5 litres of wine, or around 150 standard 175ml servings annually. One litre of wine contains around 0.12 litres of pure alcohol.
Spirit drinking
The Cook Islands — a collection of islands in the South Pacific — topped the list, with the average person knocking back 7.07 litres of pure alcohol annually. Eastern Europe, the home of vodka, accounts for half of the top 10
Brits might not love liquor as much as we think.
For the Cook Islands — a collection of islands in the South Pacific — topped the list of biggest spirit drinkers, with the average person knocking back 7.07 litres of pure alcohol annually, which equates to roughly 283 standard 25ml shots.
Meanwhile, the figure stood at 2.35 litres in the UK (94 shots). This puts in the UK in 40th place.
Eastern Europe, the home of vodka, accounts for half of the top 10.
Meanwhile, Americans down an average of 3.29 litres of pure alcohol per year (132 shots), ranking in 25th place.
UK health chiefs advise drinking no more than 14 units a week on a regular basis. One single spirit 25ml shot accounts for roughly one unit.
Beer drinking
Austria, where the legal drinking age is 16, took the second slot with 6.3 litres, while Poland recorded 5.72 in third. Brits, meanwhile, ranked below both the US and Australia in 45th position
While Brits and Americans are known for their strong beer culture, neither hold a candle to the Czech Republic, Austria or Poland.
That’s according to figures compiled by OurWorldInData, which analysed the average litres of pure alcohol drunk per person across 188 countries worldwide.
The Czech Republic claimed top spot at 6.77 litres (238 pints).
Austria, where the legal drinking age is 16, took the second slot with 6.3 litres (222 pints).
The UK, meanwhile, ranked 45th position. On average, Brits consume, 3.53 litres of pure alcohol each annually (124 pints).
Smoking
The OECD defines daily smokers as those aged 15 years and over who report smoking tobacco every day. Other forms of smokeless tobacco products, such as snuff in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland, are not taken into account
It’s one of the world’s top idyllic holiday destinations. But the island of Indonesia, nestled away in the Pacific, also tops the charts for smoking.
Almost a third (32.6 per cent) of its population admit to smoking every day, according to the OECD’s Health Statistics 2023 report.
Bulgaria follows in second, with Turkey taking third spot recording a rate of 28.7 and 28 per cent respectively.
The OECD defines daily smokers as those aged 15 years and over who report smoking tobacco every day.
Smoking rates in the UK are now the lowest on record at 12.7 per cent. But uptake in the nation is still higher than Australia (11.2 per cent) and the US (8.8 per cent).
The UK Government, however, has vowed to crack down on smoking rates.
This week Rishi Sunak formally announced plans to ban today’s children from ever being able to buy cigarettes. If the law is eventually given the go ahead, kids born after 2009 will never legally be able to buy tobacco.
The Government believes that, if enacted, the phased ban will lead to 1.7million fewer people smoking by 2075 — saving tens of thousands of lives, and avoiding avoid up to 115,000 cases of strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and other lung diseases.
Vaping
One in 10 Estonian’s now vape regularly each month, cementing its position as the e-cigarette capital of the world, fresh data revealed this week. Published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) — a forum of 37 countries with market-based economies founded in 1961 — it also found just four countries rank higher than the UK
One in 10 Estonian’s vape regularly each month, cementing its position as the e-cigarette capital of the world, fresh data revealed this week.
The OECD found just four countries rank higher than the UK, where almost one in 20 Brits (4.9 per cent) now vape.
The figure stood at 10.4 per cent in Estonia, followed by 8.2 per cent in New Zealand and 7.4 per cent in the Czech Republic.
The OECD defines regular vaping as the percentage of the population aged 15 or over who vape at least monthly, with or without nicotine.
The UK Government have vowed to crack down on vaping amid alarm over the long-term effects of vaping and rising usage rates among teens.
Tighter restrictions on e-cigarettes are on the cards, with ministers now considering sticking an extra tax on vapes, which can be sold for as little as £5.
Social media use
Brits are among those clocking the least amount screen time worldwide, ranking just 41st for the number of minutes spent on social media per day. That’s according to the Global Web Index 2023 report, which publishes quarterly social media trends reports analysing data in 48 nations
For years, researchers have warned of rising smartphone addictions.
But Brits are among those clocking the least amount screen time worldwide, ranking just 41st for the number of minutes spent on social media per day.
That’s according to the Global Web Index 2023 report, which publishes quarterly social media trend reports based on data from 48 nations.
While Brits logged one hour and 52 minutes per cent, it was Brazil (three hours and 49 minutes) and Nigeria (three hours and 44 minutes) that topped the charts.
Meanwhile, Americans spent two hours and 16 minutes checking sites such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok each day.
Screen time globally rocketed during the Covid pandemic, when lockdowns and widespread building closures forced people to stay at home.
But the pandemic-induced boom has largely now levelled out, according to the Global Web Index.
Exercise
Published this week in the OECD’s Health Statistics 2023 report, data is taken from Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU and is complemented with data taken directly from non-EU countries
The Swiss can proudly claim to be the fittest nation in the world, sboagen with more than three quarters (76 per cent) of the population spending at least 150 minutes per week on physical activity.
But the UK isn’t far behind. Six in 10 people say they exercise for two-and-a-half hours per week, putting the nation in fifth place, according to the OECD.
UK health chiefs say adults should perform at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week, such as brisk walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, such as running.
Australia follows in second with more than one in seven (71.3 per cent) achieving 150 minutes weekly, while Norway claims third with 67.6 per cent.
The US however lags behind in 14th position with less than half the population (47.9 per cent) hitting the target.
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