Table 3.

Changes in WHO¹ drinking risk level at Wave 2 (3-year follow-up) by Wave 1 WHO drinking risk level: all drinkers, and alcohol dependent drinkers

Part A. All Wave 1 drinkers (n=22 005) Wave 1 WHO Risk Level	Proportion of participants by change in WHO drinking risk level at Wave 2, by Wave 1 WHO risk level2
	Increased	No change	Decreased 1 level	Decreased 2 levels	Decreased 3 levels	Total Decreased	Became Abstinent
Very High (n=512)	–	0.26	0.14	0.11	0.41	0.66	0.07
High (n=545)	0.15	0.15	0.19	0.46	–	0.65	0.06
Moderate (n=1 073)	0.13	0.24	0.60	–	–	0.60	0.04
Low (n=19 874)	0.05	0.81	–	–	–	–	0.13
Part B. Wave 1 alcohol dependent drinkers (n=1 152) Wave 1 WHO Risk Level	Proportion of alcohol dependent participants by change in WHO drinking risk level at wave 2, by wave 1 WHO risk level2
	Increased	No change	Decreased 1 level	Decreased 2 levels	Decreased 3 levels	Total Decreased	Became Abstinent
Very High (n=276)	–	0.27	0.14	0.10	0.43	0.67	0.06
High (n=153)	0.18	0.14	0.11	0.52	–	0.63	0.06
Moderate (n=175)	0.17	0.21	0.57	–	–	0.57	0.05
Low (n=548)	0.20	0.76	–	–	–	–	0.05

¹WHO – World Health Organization

²The table shows the change in WHO risk drinking level of participants at Wave 2, by their risk level at Wave 1. For example, of all 512 Very High Risk drinkers at Wave 1 (Part A), 0.26 (26%) were still at the Very High Risk level (i.e. no change) at Wave 2, while 0.14 (14%) had decreased one level and 0.07 (7%) had become abstinent. Of the 276 alcohol dependent Very High Risk drinkers at Wave 1 (Part B), 0.27 (27%) were still at the Very High Risk level (i.e., no change) at Wave 2, while 0.14 (14%) had decreased one level and 0.06 (6%) had become abstinent. Being at the highest level at Wave 1, Very High Risk drinkers could not increase their WHO level by Wave 2, but High, Moderate and Low risk drinkers could increase their WHO risk level, as exemplified by the 0.15, 0.13 and 0.05 (15%, 13% and 5%) of the high, moderate and low risk drinkers who did increase their drinking risk level by Wave 2 (Part A).