Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Belgium
Belgium: Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days was 35.8% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Belgium, 2000–2020
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Belgium is 35.8%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
The figure is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Belgium peaked at 40.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 35.8%, in 2020.
Belgium ranks 121st of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 40.2% | — |
| 2001 | 39.8% | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 39.8% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 39.5% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 39.3% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 39.1% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 38.9% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 38.6% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 38.9% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 38.5% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 38.5% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 38.2% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 38.0% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 38.0% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 38.0% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 37.8% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 37.0% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 36.9% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 36.7% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 36.6% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 35.8% | -2.1% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 35.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 38.1%, 94% of the median. (60 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 35.8% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 36.1%, 99% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 39.3% | 38.5% | 40.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.6% | 36.6% | 38.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.8% | 35.8% | 35.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More reference data data for Belgium
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9298 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1382 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.12 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.61 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7526 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Belgium?
- Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Belgium was 35.8% in 2020, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 40.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.8% in 2020.
- How does Belgium rank for share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days?
- Belgium ranks 121st out of 187 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Heavy episodic drinking (drinkers only) is defined as the proportion of adult drinkers (15+ years) who have had at least 60 grams or more of pure alcohol on at least one occasion in the past 30 days. A consumption of 60 grams of pure alcohol corresponds approximately to 6 standard alcoholic drinks.