About half of Czechs believe that drinking small amounts of alcohol is beneficial to their health, most often defining a small amount as a few glasses of wine or beer, according to a study conducted by sociologists at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University.
The study focused on the prevalence of myths about alcohol and respondent’s experiences with reducing their alcohol consumption.
The survey included 1,022 respondents aged 18 and older who had consumed alcohol at some point during the 18 months prior to data collection. NMS Market Research collected the data between 24 April and 2 May 2025.
“Although a significant portion of the population is aware of the risks associated with alcohol, many myths and misconceptions persist that can undermine people’s ability to adequately assess these risks,” noted the study. “Among the most widespread are the notion of a ‘healthy drink’, and the idea that alcohol affects body temperature.”
One-third of parents with children under the age of five believe that drinking small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy is not harmful to either the mother or the child. According to researchers, people aged 25 to 44 are more likely to take a more relaxed view of drinking alcohol during pregnancy, regardless of whether they have young children.
About two-fifths of those surveyed believe that drinking small amounts of alcohol helps prevent heart disease. More than 60% believe that alcohol raises body temperature, and about a quarter believe that alcohol improves sleep quality.
According to doctors, high alcohol consumption in the Czech Republic contributes to a higher and rising prevalence of diseases. It is linked, for example, to a higher risk of developing most types of cancer, obesity, high blood pressure, and liver disease.
About three-quarters of Czechs have tried to cut back on drinking at some point. Nearly a third have tried to limit their consumption by setting a maximum amount of alcohol they will drink on a single occasion. The most common limit is two drinks.
Respondents generally viewed their efforts to cut back on alcohol positively. About 70% said they were able to keep their alcohol consumption at a moderate level, either over the long term or at least most of the time.
One method of reducing alcohol consumption is short-term abstinence, which more than half of the respondents had tried. About one-third abstain for short periods on a regular basis, at least once a year, and most often for a period of one month. Those who have never tried short-term abstinence and do not plan to try it often said that their consumption was too low to consider it necessary.
According to the 2024 Alcohol Report published by the National Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Addiction, the Czech Republic has long been among the countries with the highest alcohol consumption in the world. Czechs consume 160 liters of alcoholic beverages per person annually. The report indicates that 15-18% of the Czech population over the age of 15 consume dangerous levels of alcohol, equivalent to between 1.3 and 1.6 million people.
