Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Kenya

Kenya: Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days was 45.2% in 2020. ▬ Flat

Latest (2020)
45.2%
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
74th
of 187 countries
All-time high
47.3%
in 2002
All-time low
45.2%
in 2020
Years of data
21
2000–2020

Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Kenya, 2000–2020

010203040502000201020202000: 46.9 %2001: 47.2 %2002: 47.3 %2003: 46.5 %2004: 46 %2005: 46.9 %2006: 46.7 %2007: 47.2 %2008: 45.8 %2009: 46.1 %2010: 46.8 %2011: 46.6 %2012: 46.8 %2013: 46.8 %2014: 46.4 %2015: 46.4 %2016: 46.2 %2017: 46.5 %2018: 46.1 %2019: 46.1 %2020: 45.2 %

Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2020, share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Kenya stood at 45.2%. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.

That represents a change of down 1.9% on the previous year and down 3.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Kenya peaked at 47.3% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 45.2%, in 2020.

That places Kenya 74th out of 187 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Kenya, year by year

Annual values for Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Kenya, 2000 to 2020.
Year % Change
2000 46.9%
2001 47.2% +0.7%
2002 47.3% +0.1%
2003 46.5% -1.5%
2004 46.0% -1.3%
2005 46.9% +2.0%
2006 46.7% -0.3%
2007 47.2% +1.1%
2008 45.8% -3.0%
2009 46.1% +0.6%
2010 46.8% +1.6%
2011 46.6% -0.5%
2012 46.8% +0.5%
2013 46.8% -0.0%
2014 46.4% -0.9%
2015 46.4% +0.1%
2016 46.2% -0.4%
2017 46.5% +0.5%
2018 46.1% -0.8%
2019 46.1% -0.0%
2020 45.2% -1.9%

Kenya compared with similar countries

  • Kenya's 45.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 44.7%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
  • Kenya's 45.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 47.9%, 94% of the median. (47 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 46.7% 45.8% 47.3% 10
2010s 46.5% 46.1% 46.8% 10
2020s 45.2% 45.2% 45.2% 1

Countries ranked near Kenya

  1. 71 Ecuador 45.8% compare
  2. 72 Madagascar 45.4% compare
  3. 73 Hungary 45.4% compare
  4. 75 Australia 44.8% compare
  5. 76 Saint Kitts and Nevis 44.4% compare
  6. 77 Cuba 44.4% compare

See the full ranking of 187 places →

More reference data data for Kenya

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Kenya?
Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Kenya was 45.2% 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 Kenya?
The highest recorded value was 47.3% in 2002.
What is the lowest share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days recorded in Kenya?
The lowest recorded value was 45.2% in 2020.
How does Kenya rank for share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days?
Kenya ranks 74th 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 Kenya?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Kenya 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.

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Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Kenya. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/drinkers-had-a-heavy-session-in-past-30-days/kenya/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days
Unit
%
Source
World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
187 places, 3,927 data points, 2000–2020
Last refreshed

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.