Binge drinking, not enough sleep and lack of exercise among concerns raised in Healthy Ireland survey

The Healthy Ireland survey reveals that 73% of individuals aged 15 and older consumed alcohol in the past year, showing a troubling rise in binge drinking behaviors, especially among young men, as binge drinking increased from 24% to 28%.

The survey shows concerning health trends, with only 41% of the population meeting the recommended physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes weekly, indicating a significant drop from 46% in 2019.

Smoking rates stand at 17% of the population, with men smoking at a higher rate (20%) than women (15%). The highest smoking rates are found among 25- to 34-year-olds, yet this marks a decline from 32% in 2015.

The survey's first-time inclusion of Covid and long-Covid data reveals that only 3% of those infected have received a long-Covid diagnosis, highlighting a generally swift recovery among the majority.

Read at Irish Independent