Almost 40% of drinkers in Ireland consume at least six alcoholic drinks on a typical drinking occasion, a new survey has revealed.

According to the third annual Healthy Ireland Survey, which involved almost 7,500 people aged 15 and older, 39% of drinkers are classed as binge drinkers (six or more standard drinks in one session). Furthermore among those aged between 15 and 24, this figures rises to 53%.

Meanwhile in the past year, 19% of drinkers have felt remorse or guilt about their drinking.

The Healthy Ireland Survey aims to provide up-to-date information on the health of the nation. It reports on a number of different lifestyle behaviours, including drinking alcohol, smoking, diet and sexual health.

This year's findings show that 22% of people are smokers - a fall from 23% last year. Among people aged 15-24, just 19% are smokers.

Some 39% of people are overweight, while 23% are obese.

When it comes to diet, 35% of people eat at least one unhealthy food, such as sweets, biscuits or fried food, every day, 16% drink sugar-sweetened drinks every day and 75% eat fewer than five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

When it comes to sexual health, 21% of people said they had undergone a HIV test in their lifetime, while 22% had undergone an STI (sexually transmitted infection) test in their lifetime.

Other key findings from the survey include:
-Breastfeeding differs by education, with 74% of mothers with a third level degree choosing to breastfeed at least one child compared to 34% of mothers who left school before the Leaving Cert
-Just 18% of people use an active form of travel to get to work or education, such as cycling, while 65% travel mainly to work and education by car
-68% of people correctly identified that antibiotics can kill bacteria, however 49% think antibiotics can kill viruses, which they cannot.

Commenting on the findings, the Minister of State for Health Promotion, Catherine Byrne, said that while there were some positive results, such as the fall in smoking rates, ‘there is no room for complacency'.

"The survey findings clearly show the problems we have with alcohol and that we drink too much. I am particularly concerned about the finding that over half of all young drinkers binge drink on a typical drinking occasion, which is a significant threat to their health both now and in the longer term," she commented.