The young Spanish deemed occasional drinkers, older than 45 supported greater alcohol consumption

II study international Bupa Health Pulse 2011: health and welfare

-63% of youth are considered ‘ occasional drinkers ’

-21% of those over 45 years admits drinking alcohol several times a week

-one of four young women smoke daily má10 cigarettes s

-Spain (35%) exceeds the percentage of smokers compared with countries such as United Kingdom (24%) and United States (21%)

-73% of Spaniards admits drinking alcohol, only overtaken by Australians (74%) and British (82%)

Madrid, November of 2011. Health disorders affect the well-being of people and some of them, such as sleep disturbance, changes in mood and anxiety are caused by the consumption of tobacco and alcohol, which can also lead to chronic diseases. 21% Of Spaniards aged between 45 and 54 years ensures drinking several times a week, while young people aged between 18 and 24 it recognizes only 8 of every 100. This is one of the main conclusions drawn from the study international Bupa Health Pulse II 2011, done by Bupa, the parent company of Sanitas.

In addition, young Spanish people are the best concept of themselves as the consumption of alcohol. Stresses that 63% of Spaniards between 18 and 34 years considers drinker light ” or sporadic ” and only 11 of every 100 young people supported by one slightly higher consumption and is classified as a drinker moderate ”. Among individuals of 45 to 54 years, half of those interviewed said that his consumption of alcohol is mild ” while 19% are included in the category of drinker moderate ”.

Among young people, only 2% recognizes alcohol on a daily basis, according to the Bupa international study II, while the majority of respondents (71%) claims to drink several times a month. These figures confirm the trend by the Ministry of health in its home survey on Alcohol and drugs which stated that alcohol consumption is concentrated especially on the weekends.

Ministerial data also suggest that alcohol is the substance most commonly used psychoactive (79%) and that his intensive use (the ‘ drunkenness ’) registered an increase: 46.3 per cent of young people between 15 and 24 years old admitted to being drunk in the last 30 days.

Alcohol can affect breathing, heart rate and the functioning of the brain in their perceptual and cognitive functions. These effects may appear gradually over 10 minutes and can reach its peak in about 40 to 60 minutes. The habitual use of alcohol depresses the central nervous system, producing clinical depression, confusion and, in severe cases, psychosis and mental disorders.

However, in general terms, 73% of Spaniards recognized that he drinks alcohol. Of this amount, more than half (56%) makes it several times a month and the rest more frequently. The majority did not consider it to exceed, and only 2% is cataloged as a heavy drinker.

The study also emphasizes that the alcohol taxes are necessary because they help to pay for health care, according to 32% of Spaniards. Something that Brazil citizens (48%) and China (49%) also considered positive. Even 28% of Spaniards are in favour to ban alcohol consumption in outdoor spaces. Countries such as Mexico (44%) and India (59%) are more supporters ban it while in United States (17%) are more flexible with this measure.

The Spaniards, more drinkers to smokers

28% Of Spaniards between 45 and 54 years consumes more than 10 cigarettes a day. If we analyze the collective more young, between 18 and 24 years, 25% said to consume more than ten cigars daily.

However, 36% of Spaniards ensures not having tried smoking ever and only 20 of every 100 says smoking more than 10 cigarettes a day.

On the other hand, 35% of Spaniards admits that smoke on a regular basis, a figure superior to the countries Mexico and Australia, where its consumption is around 30% and well above others like United Kingdom (24%) and United States (21%). However, consumption of alcohol, only United Kingdom (82%) and Australia (74%) of the 12 countries studied, exceed Spain, which records a 73%, and New Zealand.

Spain measures to ban smoking in public places and bars boast good acceptance by 58% of respondents. 44% Supported the prohibition of tobacco advertising and 39% believes it should increase in the minimum legal age to be able to consume tobacco, controlling compliance more severely. Restrictive measures, however, have failed deter smokers. Only 23% of respondents has been raised seriously stop smoking.

Data sheet

For the preparation of this second study of Bupa Health Pulse 2011 has been a total of 13.373 interviews online in 12 countries (United Kingdom, Spain, Australia, Mexico, India, EE)UU. (Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand). The questionnaires were answered between April 22 and May 23. In Spain 1,048 persons were interviewed and established quotas to ensure that the sample be representative at national level by sex, age and region.

Group Sanitas

The Sanitas group, specializing in health and geriatric care, includes companies: Sanitas insurance, Sanitas hospitals, Sanitas Residencial and Sanitas new business.

You sanitas insurance is the leading company with regard to private customers of insurance for medical care and health in Spain, with 1.98 million members. In 2010, its turnover was EUR 1.449,5 million. You sanitas hospital manages four hospitals and 71 health centres multiespecialidad and dental. You sanitas residential is one of the main companies of Spain elderly care, he has 41 residences throughout the country and has more than 5,000 residential spaces. You sanitas new business offers a wide range of complementary health services in their own centres and through the Sanitas Mundosalud centres.