Prevalence of alcohol consumption and knowledge of drinking guidelines: a population-based study in Geneva, Switzerland

Roxane Dumont, Hélène Baysson, Shannon Mechoullam, Céline Mettraux, Silvia Stringhini, Idris Guessous, Mayssam Nehme
Prevalence of alcohol consumption and awareness of consumption guidelines: A population-based study in Geneva, Switzerland, Preventive Medici Report, March 2026 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103415

Summary of the study:

Objective

Alcohol consumption remains a major preventable cause of morbidity and mortality. In Switzerland, around 1,500 deaths a year are attributable to alcohol. The aim of this study is to assess awareness of national low-risk drinking guidelines and to estimate the proportion of adults in Geneva who exceed them, according to socio-demographic and health-related factors.

Methods

In 2025, 7509 adults from the Specchio population cohort were asked to complete a questionnaire on alcohol consumption, knowledge of Swiss recommendations, and perception of risk. Exceeding the recommendations was defined as >2 drinks/day for men, >1 for women, or fewer than two alcohol-free days per week. Descriptive analyses and stratified logistic regressions by sex examined associations with sociodemographic, behavioural and health variables.

Results

Of the 4,274 respondents (mean age 51.5; 59.8% women), 88.3% reported alcohol consumption, 53.5% of which exceeded national recommendations. Women exceeded daily limits more frequently, while men and older adults failed more often to maintain alcohol-free days. Exceeding the recommendations was associated with younger age, higher education, favourable financial situation and substance use. Only 49.1% correctly identified all the recommendations, and 29.1% recognised the risks associated with cancer.

Conclusions

Nearly half of adults in Geneva exceed national consumption recommendations, highlighting the need to improve public communication and targeted preventive strategies in primary care medicine.

Link to the article in English

This text was automatically translated from French using artificial intelligence