Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in China
China: Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days was 22.2% in 2020. ▬ Flat
Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in China, 2000–2020
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
China recorded 22.2% for share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.0% on the previous year and down 13.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in China peaked at 26.4% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 22.2%, in 2020.
That places China 169th out of 187 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 24.5% | — |
| 2001 | 23.9% | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 23.5% | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 23.0% | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 23.0% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 23.2% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 23.7% | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 24.3% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 24.5% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 25.1% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 25.7% | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 26.1% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 26.3% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 26.4% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 26.2% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 26.1% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 26.0% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 25.2% | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 23.6% | -6.3% |
| 2019 | 22.9% | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 22.2% | -3.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 22.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 40.3%, 55% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- China's 22.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 48.7%, 46% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 23.9% | 23.0% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.4% | 22.9% | 26.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.2% | 22.2% | 22.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in China?
- Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in China was 22.2% 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 26.4% in 2013.
- What is the lowest share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.2% in 2020.
- How does China rank for share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days?
- China ranks 169th 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 China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this China 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.