The Czech Republic: An average Czech consumes 292 beers, 100 glasses of wine and 175 shots of hard alcohol per year

According to the Czech Statistical Office, an average Czech consumes 292 beers, 100 glasses of wine and 175 shots of hard alcohol annually. “The latest comparative study by the World Health Organization ranked us third in the world in terms of alcohol consumption per capita. According to this study, the average Czech drinks 14.4 litres of pure alcohol per year,” said Ladislav Csémy from the National Institute of Mental Health, as quoted by Brnensky Denik.

The study says that one reason for the heavy alcohol consumption in the Czech Republic is the low cost and easy accessibility of alcohol. An average Czech household spends nearly CZK 8,800 per year on beer alone. However, this works out as more of a liability than an economic boon, as the country spends over CZK 56 billion treating health problems related to alcohol consumption, such as liver cancer, mental disorders or high blood pressure.

However, help could be at hand. Researchers from the Biological Center of the Academy of Sciences in České Budějovice are working on new types of beer which would include substances that fight against harmful bacteria and cancer. In the first month of 2021, the researchers announced that by using bitter acids and targeting the genes of the hops used in beer-making, they can produce beer which will both taste better and contain medicinal substances. To bring this beer to the market, the researchers will need approval from the EU.

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