Alcohol consumption has been on the rise in Australia compared to 10 years ago, according to a new study.
As per the surveys undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in 2001 and 2012, the average consumption of alcohol by Australians has increased by 13%.
In the survey, around 60% participants said that they regularly consume alcohol while number of standard drinks rose, specifically among women.
According to the Medical Journal of Australia, the average number of drinks for men in one day increased from around 4.7 in 2001 to five in 2012, while for women, the number rose from 2.8 to 3.4.
Curtin University's professor Mike Daube was quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald as saying: "It's clear we have a massive problem with alcohol ... and it's important to note there is no evidence of the harm caused by alcohol reducing."
The study leader and co-author University of Sydney's professor Farhat Yusuf was quoted by the publication as saying that the difference between the ABS figures used in the research and the data on apparent consumption could be down to the time period.
According to Yusuf's 10 years research "apparent consumption" data demonstrated an increase as well, from 9.83 litres of alcohol available per person, to 10.3.
However, around 42% of the 15 to 19-year-olds in the study said that they consumed alcohol in the past week, according to study co-auther University of Sydney emeritus professor Stephen Leeder.
