Characterization of Economic, Legal and Epidemiological Aspects Useful to Promote a Public Agenda Aimed at Reducing Alcohol Consumption in Argentina

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Alcohol consumption is one of themain risk factors. To assess the preconditions for the establishmentof public policies aimed at reducing alcohol consumption inArgentina, three aims were set: a) to characterize the demandand supply of alcoholic beverages; b) to evaluate the regulatoryframework regarding advertising, promotion and sponsorshipcontrol policies, and television advertising; c) to define which modelsof attributable disease burden and cost-effectiveness of interventionscould be applicable. METHODS: Data from the National HouseholdExpenditure Survey 2004/5 and 2012/3 and from the EuromonitorInternational database were analyzed. The regulatory framework,and television advertisements were examined. The literature onmodels of disease burden and cost-effectiveness of interventionswas reviewed. RESULTS: The consumption of alcoholic beveragesdid not change significantly between 2004/5 and 2012/3, and theindustry is highly concentrated. The regulation framework foradvertising is lax; more than half of the TV ads are broadcastedduring daytime, exposing minors and thus, violating internationalagreements. There are three main approaches to epidemiologicaland economic modeling that could be applicable. CONCLUSIONS:Economic, legal and epidemiological aspects useful to promotea public agenda aimed at reducing alcohol consumption inArgentina were characterized.