The OECD table shows that Ireland still sit high up the table when it comes to liking a pint and having a fag.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Health at a Glance 2013 report has Ireland ranking high in terms of how many of us enjoy a good shmoke and a bit of a drink.
According to the figures, the average Irish person takes on 11.6 litres of alcohol in a year, with Germany, Estonia, France, and Austria ahead of us, while Luxembourg tops the table with an impressive 15.3 litres.
The Irish also rank fourth in the world when it comes to tobacco, with 29% of us standing outside in the smoking garden on a night out. Only Russia, Greece and Chile are ahead of us on that front, so we’re amongst good company there.
Most importantly, however, the report shows that there has been a sharp decrease in spending on health in the midst of the recession, with a 6.6% cut since 2009, which could be a cause for worry.
The table also shows that Irish people have a greater tendency towards obesity than many of our European neighbours, but despite all that, it seems that life expectancy has risen slightly to 80.6 years of age, so it’s not all bad news.
Hat-tip to The Irish Times for the figures
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