One in ten Belgians drinks too much alcohol, report shows

One out of every 10 people in Belgium struggles with an alcohol addiction, according to a report by the Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE), writes Het Laatste Nieuws. The KCE is urging the various Belgian government parties to reach agreement on an alcohol plan for the country.

The World Health Organization (WHO) puts the limit for safe alcohol consumption at 14 drinks per week for women and 21 for men. Those who consume more are not necessarily addicted, says the WHO, but do have an increased risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Excessive alcohol consumption is behind one in seven deaths among men, and one in 13 deaths among women worldwide.

Yet only one in 12 people with an alcohol problem seeks help, according to the KCE report, and that only after an average of 18 years. The KCE is therefore calling on the Belgian goverment to draw up an alcohol plan with an aim to help people recognise a problem sooner and to seek help.