Background. WHO 2002 Report finds alcohol use to have mostly detrimental effects on the human health, only some patterns of use being beneficial. This study analyzes patterns of alcohol use in the Czech adult population according to region, urbanization, gender, age, and education. Methods andResults. Asample of 1224men and 1282women (aged 18–64), representative for the Czech population of this age, was interviewed. Frequencies of beer, wine and spirit use, usual quantities per occasion, and the frequency of consuming ≥75 g alcohol at a single occasion were ascertained. Results showed that 33 % men and 14 % women consume alcohol in a way hazardous for health, i.e. with a daily average >40 g (men), >20 g (women), or with periodicus e of ≥75 g at a single occasion. Only 6 % men and 2 % women adhere to a consumption pattern with supposed cardio-protective effects, i.e. at least each other day, in low/moderate quantity and without periodic binges. The health risk form of use in men is age related with the climax at 35–44 (p<0.001) and with a linear decreases with educational level (p<0.001). No statistically significant relation between the unhealthy alcohol use and age or the education level was found in women. Conclusions. In the Czech adult male and female population patterns of the health-risky or problematic alcohol use heavily overweight patterns with hypothetical beneficial effects, with no exception across sociodemographic strata.

        Key words: alcohol use hazardous for health, gender, education.