Why Women Drink Too Much Alcohol (VIDEO)

Women's alcohol consumption is soaring, even in Italy. Sixty-seven percent of women regularly drink alcoholic beverages, compared to only 43 percent in the 67s. And every year, approximately 25 women are hospitalized for alcohol-related problems.

There are several factors that explain this change:

• Cultural and social changesDrinking has become more socially acceptable for women than it used to be. In many cultures, female drinking was highly stigmatized.
• Targeted marketing: Many alcohol companies have created products and campaigns specifically aimed at women (ready-to-drink cocktails, hard seltzers, lifestyle wines, dedicated packaging and branding).
• Stress and mental loadSome research links increased female consumption to job stress, social pressure, the dual work-family burden, anxiety, and social isolation.
• Equality in social behaviors: with greater integration into historically male professional and social contexts, alcohol-related habits also tend to converge.
• Social media and aperitif culture: in many urban environments, drinking is associated with sociability, personal image and “normalized” relaxation.

There is, however, an important biological aspect: even when a woman drinks the same amount of alcohol as a man, on average the physical effects are stronger because:

• the female body tends to have less body water
• alcohol metabolism is different
• the blood alcohol level rises more rapidly

For this reason, the risk of damage to the liver, heart, or nervous system may increase earlier than in men, given the same consumption.

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