essay about alcohol consumption

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Fact sheets /
Alcohol or alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, a psychoactive and toxic substance that can cause dependence.
Worldwide, around 2.6 million deaths were caused by alcohol consumption in 2019. Of these, 1.6 million deaths were from noncommunicable diseases, 700 000 deaths from injuries and 300 000 deaths from communicable diseases.
The alcohol-attributable mortality was heaviest among men, accounting for 2 million deaths compared to 600 000 deaths among women, in 2019.
An estimated 400 million people, or 7% of the world’s population aged 15 years and older, lived with alcohol use disorders. Of this, 209 million people (3.7% of the adult world population) lived with alcohol dependence.
Alcohol consumption, even at low levels can bring health risks, but most alcohol related harms come from heavy episodic or heavy continuous alcohol consumption.
Effective alcohol control interventions exist and should be utilized more, at the same time it is important for people to know risks associated with alcohol consumption and take individual actions to protect from its harmful effects.

Alcohol and alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, which is a psychoactive and toxic substance with dependence-producing properties. Alcohol has been widely used in many cultures for centuries, but it is associated with significant health risks and harms.

Worldwide, 2.6 million deaths were attributable to alcohol consumption in 2019, of which 2 million were among men and 0.6 million among women. The highest levels of alcohol-related deaths per 100 000 persons are observed in the WHO European and African Regions with 52.9 deaths and 52.2 deaths per 100 000 people, respectively.

People of younger age (20–39 years) are disproportionately affected by alcohol consumption with the highest proportion (13%) of alcohol-attributable deaths occurring within this age group in 2019.

The data on global alcohol consumption in 2019 shows that an estimated 400 million people aged 15 years and older live with alcohol use disorders, and an estimated 209 million live with alcohol dependence.

There has been some progress; from 2010 to 2019, the number of alcohol-attributable deaths per 100 000 people decreased by 20.2% globally.

There has been a steady increase in the number of countries developing national alcohol policies. Almost all countries implement alcohol excise taxes. However, countries report continued interference from the alcohol industry in policy development.

Based on 2019 data, about 54% out of 145 reporting countries had national guidelines/standards for specialized treatment services for alcohol use disorders, but only 46% of countries had legal regulations to protect the confidentiality of people in treatment.

Access to screening, brief intervention and treatment for people with hazardous alcohol use and alcohol use disorder remains very low, as well as access to medications for treatment of alcohol use disorders. Overall, the proportion of people with alcohol use disorders in contact with treatment services varies from less than 1% to no more than 14% in all countries where such data are available.

Health risks of alcohol use

Alcohol consumption is found to play a causal role in more than 200 diseases, injuries and other health conditions. However, the global burden of disease and injuries caused by alcohol consumption can be quantified for only 31 health conditions on the basis of the available scientific evidence for the role of alcohol use in their development, occurrence and outcomes.

Drinking alcohol is associated with risks of developing noncommunicable diseases such as liver diseases, heart diseases, and different types of cancers, as well as mental health and behavioural conditions such as depression, anxiety and alcohol use disorders.

An estimated 474 000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases were caused by alcohol consumption in 2019.

Alcohol is an established carcinogen and alcohol consumption increases the risk of several cancers, including breast, liver, head and neck, oesophageal and colorectal cancers. In 2019, 4.4% of cancers diagnosed globally and 401 000 cancer deaths were attributed to alcohol consumption.

Alcohol consumption also causes significant harm to others, not just to the person consuming alcohol. A significant part of alcohol-attributable disease burden arises from injuries such as road traffic accidents. In 2019, of a total of 298 000 deaths from alcohol-related road crashes, 156 000 deaths were caused by someone else’s drinking.

Other injuries, intentional or unintentional, include falls, drowning, burns, sexual assault, intimate partner violence and suicide.

A causal relationship has been established between alcohol use and the incidence or outcomes of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy increases the risk of having a child with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), the most severe form of which is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which is associated with developmental disabilities and birth defects. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can also increase the risk of pre-term birth complications including miscarriage, stillbirth and premature delivery.

Younger people are disproportionately negatively affected by alcohol consumption, with the highest proportion (13%) of alcohol-attributable deaths in 2019 occurring among people aged between 20 and 39 years.

In the long term, harmful and hazardous levels of alcohol consumption can lead to social problems including family problems, issues at work, financial problems, and unemployment.

Factors affecting alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm

There is no form of alcohol consumption that is risk-free. Even low levels of alcohol consumption carry some risks and can cause harm.

The level of risk depends on several factors, including the amount consumed, frequency of drinking, the health status of the individual, age, sex, and other personal characteristics, as well as the context in which alcohol consumption occurs.

Some groups and individuals who are vulnerable or at risk may have a higher susceptibility to the toxic, psychoactive and dependence-inducing properties of alcohol. On the other hand, individuals who adopt lower-risk patterns of alcohol consumption may not necessarily face a significantly increased likelihood of negative health and social consequences.

Societal factors which affect the levels and patterns of alcohol consumption and related problems include cultural and social norms, availability of alcohol, level of economic development, and implementation and enforcement of alcohol policies.

The impact of alcohol consumption on chronic and acute health outcomes is largely determined by the total volume of alcohol consumed and the pattern of drinking, particularly those patterns which are associated with the frequency of drinking and episodes of heavy drinking. Most alcohol related harms come from heavy episodic or heavy continuous alcohol consumption.

The context plays an important role in the occurrence of alcohol-related harm, particularly as a result of alcohol intoxication. Alcohol consumption can have an impact not only on the incidence of diseases, injuries and other health conditions, but also on their outcomes and how these evolve over time.

There are gender differences in both alcohol consumption and alcohol-related mortality and morbidity. In 2019, 52% of men were current drinkers, while only 35% of women had been drinking alcohol in the last 12 months. Alcohol per capita consumption was, on average, 8.2 litres for men compared to 2.2 litres for women. In 2019, alcohol use was responsible for 6.7% of all deaths among men and 2.4% of all deaths among women.

WHO response

The Global alcohol action plan 2022–2030, endorsed by WHO Member States, aims to reduce the harmful use of alcohol through effective, evidence-based strategies at national, regional and global levels. The plan outlines six key areas for action: high-impact strategies and interventions, advocacy and awareness, partnership and coordination, technical support and capacity-building, knowledge production and information systems, and resource mobilization.

Implementation of global strategy and action plan will accelerate global progress towards attaining alcohol-related targets under the Sustainable Development Goal 3.5 on strengthening the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.

Achieving this will require global, regional and national actions on the levels, patterns and contexts of alcohol consumption and the wider social determinants of health, with a particular focus on implementing high-impact cost effective interventions.

It is vital to address the determinants that drive the acceptability, availability and affordability of alcohol consumption through cross-sectoral, comprehensive and integrated policy measures. It is also of critical importance to achieve universal health coverage for people living with alcohol use disorders and other health conditions due to alcohol use by strengthening health system responses and developing comprehensive and accessible systems of treatment and care that for those in need.

The SAFER initiative, launched in 2018 by WHO and partners, supports countries to implement the high-impact, cost-effective interventions proven to reduce the harm caused by alcohol consumption.

The WHO Global Information System on Alcohol and Health (GISAH) presents data on levels and patterns of alcohol consumption, alcohol-attributable health and social consequences and policy responses across the world.

Achieving a reduction in the harmful use of alcohol in line with the targets included in the Global alcohol action plan, the SDG 2030 agenda and the WHO Global monitoring framework for noncommunicable diseases, requires concerted action by countries and effective global governance.

Public policies and interventions to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harm should be guided and formulated by public health interests and based on clear public health goals and the best available evidence.

Engaging all relevant stakeholders is essential but the potential conflicts of interest, particularly with the alcohol industry, must be carefully assessed before engagement. Economic operators should refrain from activities that might prevent, delay or stop the development, enactment, implementation and enforcement of high-impact strategies and interventions to reduce the harmful use of alcohol.

By working together, with due diligence and protection from conflicts of interest, the negative health and social consequences of alcohol can be effectively reduced.

Global status report on alcohol and health and treatment of substance use disorders

Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol

Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022–2030

SAFER Alcohol Control Initiative

Essay on Alcoholism

Students are often asked to write an essay on Alcoholism in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Alcoholism

Understanding alcoholism.

Alcoholism is a serious issue. It is a disease where a person cannot control their desire to drink alcohol. They keep drinking even when it causes harm.

Alcoholism can be caused by genetics, environment, and mental health. Some people are more prone to it because of their family history. Others might start drinking due to stress or depression.

The Effects

Alcoholism can lead to health problems like liver disease. It can also cause problems at work, school, or with relationships. It’s important to seek help if you or someone you know is struggling.

250 Words Essay on Alcoholism

Introduction.

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a chronic disease characterized by an inability to control or abstain from alcohol use despite its negative consequences. It is a pervasive global issue with significant health, social, and economic implications.

Causes and Risk Factors

Impacts and consequences.

The impacts of alcoholism are far-reaching. Physiologically, it can lead to liver disease, cardiovascular problems, and neurological damage. Psychologically, it can result in depression, anxiety, and increased risk of suicide. Socially, it can disrupt relationships, lead to job loss, and contribute to social isolation.

Treatment and Prevention

Treatment for alcoholism typically involves a combination of medication, therapy, and support groups. Prevention strategies include education about the risks of excessive alcohol consumption, early intervention for at-risk individuals, and policies to limit alcohol availability.

Alcoholism is a complex disease with a multitude of contributing factors and consequences. Understanding its causes, impacts, and treatment options is key to addressing this pervasive issue. As future leaders, we must advocate for effective prevention strategies and accessible treatment services to combat alcoholism.

500 Words Essay on Alcoholism

Alcoholism, also known as Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), is a chronic disease characterized by an inability to control or abstain from alcohol use despite its negative repercussions. It is a multifaceted disease, with complex interactions between genetic, environmental, and psychological factors.

Genetic Underpinnings of Alcoholism

Scientific research has established a strong genetic component to alcoholism. Certain genes can make individuals more susceptible to alcohol addiction, demonstrating that alcoholism is not merely a result of personal weakness or lack of willpower. It is estimated that genetics accounts for about 50% of the risk for AUD. However, having a genetic predisposition does not guarantee the development of alcoholism, indicating the significant role of environmental factors.

Environmental Factors and Alcoholism

The psychological impact of alcoholism.

Alcoholism inflicts significant psychological damage. It can lead to a range of mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and increased risk of suicide. Furthermore, alcoholism can negatively impact cognitive functions, impair judgment, and lead to behavioral changes. It is also closely linked to social problems, such as domestic violence, child abuse, and other forms of crime.

Treatment and Recovery

Alcoholism is a treatable disease, with various therapeutic strategies available. These include behavioral treatments, medications, and mutual-support groups. Behavioral treatments aim to change drinking behavior through counseling, while medications can help to manage withdrawal symptoms and prevent relapse. Mutual-support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous provide a supportive community for individuals recovering from alcoholism.

Prevention is Better than Cure

Alcoholism is a complex, multifaceted disease that requires a comprehensive approach for its prevention and treatment. Understanding its genetic, environmental, and psychological dimensions can inform effective strategies to combat this pervasive public health issue. While alcoholism is a serious disease, recovery is possible with the right support and treatment. Therefore, it is essential to foster a supportive environment for those struggling with this disorder, free from stigma and judgment.

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Should the minimum age for alcohol consumption be lowered from 21 to a younger age?

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National Institue of Health - National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - Overview of Alcohol Consumption
Table Of Contents

What is alcohol consumption?

Alcohol consumption is the drinking of beverages containing ethyl alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are consumed largely for their physiological and psychological effects, but they are often consumed within specific social contexts and may even be a part of religious practices.

Whether the minimum age for alcohol consumption should be lowered from 21 to a younger age in the U.S. is widely debated. Some say the age should be lowered because 18 is the age of legal majority (adulthood) and young adults will drink alcohol regardless of the law. Others say the age should not be lowered because alcohol consumption before age 21 is irresponsible and dangerous. For more on the drinking age debate, visit ProCon.org .

alcohol consumption , the drinking of beverages containing ethyl alcohol . Alcoholic beverage s are consumed largely for their physiological and psychological effects, but they are often consumed within specific social contexts and may even be a part of religious practices. Because of the effects that alcohol has on the body and on behaviour, governments often regulate its use.

Alcoholic beverages include wine , beer , and spirits . In beers the alcohol content varies from as little as 2 percent to as much as 8 percent; most lager- or ale-type beers contain between 4 and 5 percent. Natural or unfortified wines (such as burgundy , Chianti, and chardonnay) usually contain between 8 and 12 percent alcohol, though some varieties have a somewhat higher content, ranging from 12 to 14 percent. Spirits, including vodka , rum , and whiskey , usually contain between 40 and 50 percent alcohol. A standard drink served in most bars contains 0.5–0.7 fluid ounce of absolute alcohol. (One ounce equals approximately 30 ml.) Thus, a 1.5-ounce (45-ml) shot of vodka, a 5-ounce (150-ml) glass of wine, and a 12-ounce (355-ml) bottle of beer are equally intoxicating.

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Alcohol's Effects on Health

Research-based information on drinking and its impact.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Overview of alcohol consumption.

People drink to socialize, celebrate, and relax. Alcohol often has a strong effect on people – and throughout history, we’ve struggled to understand and manage alcohol’s power. Why does alcohol cause us to act and feel differently? How much is too much? Why do some people develop alcohol use disorder while others do not?

NIAAA is researching these and other questions about alcohol. Findings include:

Alcohol’s effects vary from person to person, depending on a variety of factors, including:

How much you drink
How often you drink
Your health status
Your family history

Drinking too much can cause a range of consequences, and increase your risk for a variety of problems .

Consequences of drinking too much Alcohol’s effects can appear rapidly. As you drink, you increase your blood alcohol concentration (BAC), which is the amount of alcohol present in your bloodstream. The higher your BAC, the more impaired you become by alcohol’s effects. These effects can include:

Reduced inhibitions
Slurred speech
Motor impairment
Memory problems
Concentration problems
Breathing problems

Alcohol is a significant factor for the following consequences :

Car crashes and other accidents
Unsafe sexual behavior
Sexual assault
Suicide and homicide

People who drink too much over a long period of time may experience alcohol’s longer-term effects, which can include:

Alcohol use disorder Health problems Increased risk for certain cancers

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Problem of Excess Alcohol Drinking in Society Essay

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Introduction

Causes of alcohol consumption, consequences, works cited.

For generations, alcohol has held an important place in the spiritual, emotional and social experience of people. For this reason, people drink as a form of relaxation, to mark important cultural events, and as a way of celebrating with friends (Heron 7). Taken in moderation, alcohol does not have any drastic effects on the drinker.

Problems only arise when alcohol is consumed in excess. Each year, nearly 80,000 lives are lost in the United States due to excessive use of alcohol (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention n.p.). It is estimated that in 2006, some $ 223.5 billion was lost due to excessive consumption of alcohol.

There are a number of reasons why people consume alcohol. People drink alcohol as a way of reducing associations in their minds. Alcohol weakens molecules separating neurons in the brains, thereby impairing communication. Consequently, an individual finds it hard to associate ideas. Psychologists also say that we drink as a way of escaping the self. Most people say that they drink alcohol in order to drown their sorrows. Since alcohol impairs communication, people momentarily forget their troubles.

Like other things in life, there are other underlying reasons that shape our drinking habits. For example, some people drink because they feel sad, angry, or lonely.

Others drink as a way of bonding with their friends and loved ones (Heron 8). Therefore, our drinking habits, whether in excess or in moderation, are shaped by hidden motivations. In the case of heavy drinkers, this behavior could be due to the need to address underlying problems, such as difficulty in dealing with low self-esteem, inability to handle strong emotions, and problems with relationships.

Peer pressure is yet another reason why people may start drinking alcohol (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention n.p.). For example, a teenager may start experimenting with alcohol while in college because his friends are also doing it. In this case, he feels compelled to experiment with alcohol so that he can belong with his peers. We also drink since alcohol has become culturally normalized.

The media aggressively promote alcohol consumption to an extent that it has now become culturally normalized. Alcohol is also readily available in supermarkets, bars, and discount stores. In fact, children under the age of 18 years can buy alcohol without some seller requesting to see their IDs first. For these reasons, consumption of alcohol has become normal and socially acceptable.

Effects of alcohol use

The effects of alcohol on the drinker are dependent on a number of factors. First, it depends on the body chemistry. This means that some people can get tipsy quite easily while others need larger quantities of alcohol to get drunk.

The effects of alcohol are also dependent on one’s weight, gender, and age (Masters 21). For example, women tend to get drunk by smaller quantities of alcohol compared with men. Effects of alcohol also depend on one’s weight. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the level of alcohol in the blood that causes one to get intoxicated, and is weight-dependent.

Thus, a man who weighs say, 200 pounds, may be less intoxicated than one who weighs 150 pounds even after both men have consumed the same quantity of alcohol. Among the elderly, the rate at which the liver metabolizes alcohol is slower in comparison with younger people. Other important factors to consider include quantity and type of alcohol consumed, drinking experience, and whether one had eaten or not, before taking alcohol.

The effects of alcohol use on one’s behavior also vary, depending on the amount of alcohol consumed. As one gets drunk, they are talkative, and more confident. As they become more intoxicated with alcohol, their speech is slurred, while their balance and coordination gets impaired. Their reflexes also slows down, and their exhibit unstable emotions.

Excessive consumption of alcohol is associated with immediate health risk that if not addressed, can lead to long-term health risks.

Immediate health risks

Excessive consumption of alcohol is linked violent behavior. Masters (23) reports that nearly 35% of the violent crimes are caused by individuals under the influence of alcohol. Moreover, excessive alcohol use also leads to cases of child neglect and maltreatment (The National Center on Addition and Substance Abuse 4).

Excessive use of alcohol also causes unintentional injuries such as falls, burns, traffic injuries, and drawings (Rehm et al. 41). Risky sexual behaviors such as sexual assault and engaging in unprotected sex are also some of the other immediate health risks of excessive alcohol use (Naimi et al. 1139).

Long-term health risks

If the immediate health risks of excessive alcohol use are not addressed, the victim could suffer neurological impairments, in addition to suffering from various social problems. They are also likely to develop chronic illnesses. Some of the neurological problems attributed to long-term excessive alcohol use include stroke, dementia, and neuropathy (Corrao et al. 615).

Over time, too much of alcohol can also cause psychiatric problems like anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts (Booth and Feng 162). Excessive alcohol use is also linked to liver diseases such as cirrhosis, which is today one of the leading causes of lifestyle-related deaths in the United States (Heron (8).

There are various reasons why people consume alcohol, including peer pressure, to drown sorrows, and to bond with families and friends, among others. Excessive consumption of alcohol causes both immediate and long-term health effects, including violence, involvement in risky sexual behaviors, and neurological and psychiatric problems.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) , Atlanta, GA: CDC, 2012. Print.

Corrao, Giovanni, Vincenzo, Bagnardi and Antonella, Zambon. “A meta-analysis of alcohol consumption and the risk of 15 diseases.” Prev Med , 38(2004):613-619.

Heron, Melonie. “Deaths: Leading causes for 2004.” National vital statistics reports , 56.5(2007):1-96.

Masters, Ruth. Counseling Criminal Justice Offenders, London: Sage, 2003. Print.

Naimi, Timothy, Leslie Lipscomb, Robert Brewer and Brenda Gilbert. “Binge drinking in

the preconception period and the risk of unintended pregnancy: Implications for women and their children.” Pediatrics , 11.5(2003):1136-1141.

Rehm, Jurgen, Gerhard Gmel, Christopher Sempos and Maurizio Trevisan. Alcohol related morbidity and mortality. Alcohol Research and Health , 27.1(2003):39-51.

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Alcohol Res Health
v.34(2); 2011

The Risks Associated With Alcohol Use and Alcoholism

Alcohol consumption, particularly heavier drinking, is an important risk factor for many health problems and, thus, is a major contributor to the global burden of disease. In fact, alcohol is a necessary underlying cause for more than 30 conditions and a contributing factor to many more. The most common disease categories that are entirely or partly caused by alcohol consumption include infectious diseases, cancer, diabetes, neuropsychiatric diseases (including alcohol use disorders), cardiovascular disease, liver and pancreas disease, and unintentional and intentional injury. Knowledge of these disease risks has helped in the development of low-risk drinking guidelines. In addition to these disease risks that affect the drinker, alcohol consumption also can affect the health of others and cause social harm both to the drinker and to others, adding to the overall cost associated with alcohol consumption. These findings underscore the need to develop effective prevention efforts to reduce the pain and suffering, and the associated costs, resulting from excessive alcohol use.

Alcohol consumption has been identified as an important risk factor for illness, disability, and mortality ( Rehm et al. 2009 b ). In fact, in the last comparative risk assessment conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the detrimental impact of alcohol consumption on the global burden of disease and injury was surpassed only by unsafe sex and childhood underweight status but exceeded that of many classic risk factors, such as unsafe water and sanitation, hyper-tension, high cholesterol, or tobacco use ( WHO 2009 ). This risk assessment evaluated the net effect of all alcohol consumption—that is, it also took into account the beneficial effects that alcohol consumption (primarily moderate consumption) can have on ischemic diseases 1 and diabetes ( Baliunas et al. 2009 ; Corrao et al. 2000 ; Patra et al. 2010 ; Rehm et al. 2004 ). Although these statistics reflect the consequences of all alcohol consumption, it is clear that most of the burden associated with alcohol use stems from regular heavier drinking, defined, for instance, as drinking more than 40 grams of pure alcohol per day for men and 20 grams of pure alcohol per day for women 2 ( Patra et al. 2009 ; Rehm et al. 2004 ). In addition to the average volume of alcohol consumption, patterns of drinking—especially irregular heavy-drinking occasions, or binge drinking (defined as drinking at least 60 grams of pure alcohol or five standard drinks in one sitting)—markedly contribute to the associated burden of disease and injury ( Gmel et al. 2010 ; Rehm et al. 2004 ). This article first defines which conditions necessarily are caused by alcohol use and for which conditions alcohol use is a contributing factor. It then looks more closely at the most common disease risks associated with excessive alcohol use, before exploring how these risks have influenced guidelines for drinking limits. The article concludes with a discussion of the alcohol-related risk of harm to people other than the drinker.

Disease and Injury Conditions Associated With Alcohol Use

Conditions for which alcohol is a necessary cause.

More than 30 conditions listed in the WHO’s International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition (ICD–10) ( WHO 2007 ) include the term “alcohol” in their name or definition, indicating that alcohol consumption is a necessary cause underlying these conditions (see table 1 ). The most important disease conditions in this group are alcohol use disorders (AUDs), which include alcohol dependence and harmful use or alcohol abuse. 3 AUDs are less fatal than other chronic disease conditions but are linked to considerable disability ( Samokhvalov et al. 2010 d ). Overall, even though AUDs in themselves do not rank high as a cause of death globally, they are the fourth-most disabling disease category in low- to middle-income countries and the third-most disabling disease category in high-income countries ( WHO 2008 ). Thus, AUDs account for 18.4 million years of life lost to disability (YLDs), or 3.5 percent of all YLDs, in low- and middle-income countries and for 3.9 million YLDs, or 5.7 percent of all YLDs, in high-income countries. However, AUDs do not affect all population subgroups equally; for example, they mainly affect men, globally representing the second-most disabling disease and injury condition for men. In contrast, AUDs are not among the 10 most important causes of disabling disease and injury in women ( WHO 2008 ).

Disease Conditions That by Definition Are Attributable to Alcohol (AAF = 100%)


E24.4	Alcohol-induced pseudo-Cushing’s syndrome
F10	Mental and behavioral disorders attributed to use of alcohol










G31.2	Degeneration of nervous system attributed to alcohol
G62.1	Alcoholic polyneuropathy
G72.1	Alcoholic myopathy
I42.6	Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
K29.2	Alcoholic gastritis
K70	Alcoholic liver disease






K85.2	Alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis
K86.0	Alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis
O35.4	Maternal care for (suspected) damage to fetus from alcohol
P04.3	Fetus and newborn affected by maternal use of alcohol
Q86.0	Fetal alcohol syndrome (dysmorphic)
R78.0	Finding of alcohol in blood
T51	Toxic effect of alcohol




X45	Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol
X65	Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol
Y15	Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent
Y90	Evidence of alcohol involvement determined by blood alcohol level

Note: ICD codes in italics represent subcodes within a main code of classification.

Abbreviations: AAF = alcohol-attributable fraction.

Alcoholic liver disease and alcohol-induced pancreatitis are other alcohol-specific disease categories that are of global importance. However, no global prevalence data on these disease categories exist because they cannot be validly assessed on a global level. Thus, these conditions are too specific to assess using verbal autopsies and other methods normally used in global-burden-of-disease studies ( Lopez et al. 2006 ; pancreatitis can be estimated indirectly Rajaratnam et al. 2010 ). Nevertheless, via the prevalence of alcohol exposure the prevalence of alcohol-attributable and relative risk for the wider, unspecific liver cirrhosis and alcohol-induced disease categories ( Rehm et al. 2010 a ).

Conditions for Which Alcohol Is a Component Cause

Disease and injury conditions for which alcohol consumption is a component cause contribute more to the global burden of disease than do alcohol-specific conditions. Overall, the following are the main disease and injury categories impacted by alcohol consumption (listed in the order of their ICD–10 codes):

Infectious disease;
Neuropsychiatric disease;
Cardiovascular disease;
Liver and pancreas disease; and
Unintentional and intentional injury.

For all chronic disease categories for which detailed data are available, those data show that women have a higher risk of these conditions than men who have consumed the same amount of alcohol; however, the differences are small at lower levels of drinking ( Rehm et al. 2010 a ). The following sections will look at these disease categories individually.

Individual Disease and Injury Conditions Associated With Alcohol Use

Infectious diseases.

Although infectious diseases were not included in the WHO’s comparative risk assessments for alcohol conducted in 2000 ( Rehm et al. 2004 ) and 2004 ( Rehm et al. 2009 b ), evidence has been accumulating that alcohol consumption has a detrimental impact on key infectious diseases ( Rehm et al. 2009 a , 2010 a ), such as tuberculosis ( Lönnroth et al. 2008 ; Rehm et al. 2009 c ), infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) ( Baliunas et al. 2010 ; Shuper et al. 2010 ), and pneumonia ( Samokhvalov et al. 2010 c ). In fact, recent studies (Rehm and Parry 2009 ; Rehm et al. 2009 a ) found that the overall impact of alcohol consumption on infectious diseases is substantial, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

One of the pathways through which alcohol increases risk for these diseases is via the immune system, which is adversely affected by alcohol consumption, especially heavy drinking ( Rehm et al. 2009 c ; Romeo et al. 2010 ). As a result, although risk for infectious diseases does not differ greatly for people drinking less than 40 grams of pure alcohol per day compared with abstainers, this risk increases substantially for those who drink larger amounts or have been diagnosed with an AUD ( Lönnroth et al. 2008 ; Samokhvalov et al. 2010 c ). In addition, alcohol consumption is associated with poorer outcomes from infectious disease for heavy drinkers by way of social factors. Thus, people with alcohol dependence often are stigmatized and have a higher chance of becoming unemployed and destitute; as a result, they tend to live in more crowded quarters with higher chances for infection and lower chances of recovery ( Lönnroth et al. 2009 ).

The relationship between alcohol consumption and HIV infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is different from that with other infectious diseases. To become infected with HIV, people must exchange body fluids, in most cases either by injecting drugs with a contaminated needle or, more commonly in low-income societies, engaging in unsafe sex. Thus, although significant associations exist between alcohol use, especially heavy drinking, and HIV infection via alcohol’s general effects on the immune system ( Baliunas et al. 2010 ; Kalichman et al. 2007 ; Shuper et al. 2009 , 2010 ), it cannot be excluded that other variables, including personality characteristics, psychiatric disorders, and situational factors may be responsible for both risky drinking and unsafe sex ( Shuper et al. 2010 ). Researchers frequently have pointed out that personality characteristics, such as a propensity for risk-taking, sensation-seeking, and sexual compulsivity, may be involved in the risk of HIV infection. Indeed, a recent consensus meeting determined that there is not yet sufficient evidence to conclude that alcohol has a causal impact on HIV infection ( Parry et al. 2009 ). However, it can be argued that experimental studies in which alcohol consumption led to a greater inclination to engage in unsafe sex indicate that some causal relationship between alcohol and HIV infection exists (e.g., George et al. 2009 ; Norris et al. 2009 ).

Once a person is infected with HIV, alcohol clearly has a detrimental impact on the course of the disease, especially by interfering with effective antiretroviral treatment ( Pandrea et al. 2010 ). A recent meta-analysis found that problem drinking—defined as meeting the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)’s criteria for at-risk drinking or having an AUD—was associated with being less than half as likely to adhere to antiretroviral treatment guidelines ( Hendershot et al. 2009 ). Because the level of adherence to the treatment regimen affects treatment success as well as outright survival, alcohol consumption clearly is associated with negative outcomes for people living with HIV and AIDS.

Recently, the Monograph Working Group of the International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that there was sufficient evidence for the carcinogenicity of alcohol in animals and classified alcoholic beverages as carcinogenic to humans ( Baan et al. 2007 ). In particular, the group confirmed, or newly established, the causal link between alcohol consumption and cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, colorectum, and female breast. For stomach and lung cancer, carcinogenicity was judged as possible but not established. For all sites where alcohol’s causal role in cancer is established, there is evidence of a dose-response relationship, with relative risk rising linearly with an increasing volume of alcohol consumption ( Corrao et al. 2004 ).

The molecular and biochemical mechanisms by which chronic alcohol consumption leads to the development of cancers of various organs are not fully understood. It has been suggested that these mechanisms differ by target organ and include variations (i.e., polymorphisms) in genes encoding enzymes responsible for ethanol metabolism (e.g., alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, and cytochrome P450 2E1), increased estrogen concentrations, and changes in folate metabolism and DNA repair ( Boffetta and Hashibe 2006 ; Seitz and Becker 2007 ). In addition, the International Agency for Research on Cancer group concluded that acetaldehyde—which is produced when the body breaks down (i.e., metabolizes) beverage alcohol (i.e., ethanol) but also is ingested as a component of alcoholic beverages— itself is carcinogenic. It likely plays an important role in the development of cancers of the digestive tract, especially those of the upper digestive tract ( Lachenmeier et al. 2009 ; Seitz and Becker 2007 ).

The relationship between alcohol consumption and diabetes is complex. A curvilinear relationship exists between the average volume of alcohol consumption and the inception of diabetes ( Baliunas et al. 2009 )—that is, lower alcohol consumption levels have a protective effect, whereas higher consumption is associated with an increased risk. The greatest protective effect has been found with a consumption of about two standard drinks (28 grams of pure alcohol) per day, and a net detrimental effect has been found starting at about four standard drinks (50 to 60 grams of pure alcohol) per day.

Neuropsychiatric Disorders

With respect to neuropsychiatric disorders, alcohol consumption has by far the greatest impact on risk for alcohol dependence. However, alcohol also has been associated with basically all mental disorders (e.g., Kessler et al. 1997 ), although the causality of these associations is not clear. Thus, mental disorders may be caused by AUDs or alcohol use, AUDs may be caused by other mental disorders, or third variables may be causing both AUDs and other mental disorders. This complex relationship makes it difficult to determine the fraction of mental disorders actually caused by alcohol consumption (see Grant et al. 2009 ).

The relationship between alcohol and epilepsy is much clearer. There is substantial evidence that alcohol consumption can cause unprovoked seizures, and researchers have identified plausible biological pathways that may underlie this relationship ( Samokhvalov et al. 2010 a ). Most of the relevant studies found that a high percentage of heavy alcohol users with epilepsy meet the criteria of alcohol dependence.

Cardiovascular Diseases

The overall effect of alcohol consumption on the global cardiovascular disease burden is detrimental (see table 2 ). Cardiovascular disease is a general category that includes several specific conditions, and alcohol’s impact differs for the different conditions. For example, the effect of alcohol consumption on hypertension is almost entirely detrimental, with a dose-response relationship that shows a linear increase of the relative risk with increasing consumption ( Taylor et al. 2009 ). A similar dose-response relationship exists between alcohol consumption and the incidence of atrial fibrillation 4 ( Samokhvalov et al. 2010 b ). On the other hand, for heart disease caused by reduced blood supply to the heart (i.e., ischemic heart disease), the association with alcohol consumption is represented by a J-shaped curve ( Corrao et al. 2000 ), with regular light drinking showing some protective effects. Irregular heavy drinking occasions, however, can nullify any protective effect. In a recent systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the effects of different drinking patterns in people with an overall consumption of less than 60 grams of pure alcohol per day, Roerecke and Rehm (2010) found that consumption of 60 grams of pure alcohol on one occasion at least once a month eliminated any protective effect of alcohol consumption on mortality. The authors concluded that the cardio-protective effect of moderate alcohol consumption disappears when light to moderate drinking is mixed with irregular heavy-drinking occasions. These epidemiological results are consistent with the findings of biological studies that—based on alcohol’s effects on blood lipids and blood clotting—also predict beneficial effects of regular moderate drinking but detrimental effects of irregular heavy drinking ( Puddey et al. 1999 ; Rehm et al. 2003 ).

Global Burden of Alcohol-Attributable Disease in Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) (in 1,000s) by Sex and Disease Category for the Year 2004



Infectious disease	7,057	1,186	8,243	10.2	9.5	10.1
Maternal and perinatal conditions (low birth weight)	64	55	119	0.1	0.4	0.1
Cancer	4,732	1,536	6,268	6.9	12.3	7.7
Diabetes	0	28	28	0.0	0.2	0.0
Neuropsychiatric disorders	23,265	3,417	26,682	33.7	27.3	32.7
Cardiovascular diseases	5,985	939	6,924	8.7	7.5	8.5
Cirrhosis of the liver	5,502	1,443	6,945	8.0	11.5	8.5
Unintentional injuries	15,694	2,910	18,604	22.8	23.2	22.8
Intentional injuries	6,639	1,021	7,660	9.6	8.1	9.4
	68,938	12,536	81,474	100.0	100.0	100.0
Diabetes	−238	−101	−340	22.2	8.1	14.6
Cardiovascular diseases	−837	−1,145	−1,981	77.8	91.9	85.4
	−1,075	−1,246	−2,321	100.0	100.0	100.0

	799,536	730,631	1,530,168

NOTE: M = men; W = women; T = total.

SOURCE: Rehm et al. 2009 a,b .

The effects of alcohol consumption on ischemic stroke 5 are similar to those on ischemic heart disease, both in terms of the risk curve and in terms of biological pathways ( Patra et al. 2010 ; Rehm et al. 2010 a ). On the other hand, alcohol consumption mainly has detrimental effects on the risk for hemorrhagic stroke, which are mediated at least in part by alcohol’s impact on hypertension.

Overall, the effects of alcohol consumption on cardiovascular disease are detrimental in all societies with large proportions of heavy-drinking occasions, which is true for most societies globally ( Rehm et al. 2003 a ). This conclusion also is supported by ecological analyses or natural experiments. For example, studies in Lithuania ( Chenet et al. 2001 ) found that cardiovascular deaths increased on weekends, when heavy drinking is more common. Also, when overall consumption was reduced in the former Soviet Union (a country with a high proportion of heavy-drinking occasions) between 1984 and 1994, the death rate from cardiovascular disease declined, indicating that alcohol consumption had an overall detrimental effect on this disease category ( Leon et al. 1997 ).

Diseases of the Liver and Pancreas

Alcohol consumption has marked and specific effects on the liver and pancreas, as evidenced by the existence of disease categories such as alcoholic liver disease, alcoholic liver cirrhosis, and alcohol-induced acute or chronic pancreatitis. For these disease categories, the dose-response functions for relative risk are close to exponential ( Irving et al. 2009 ; Rehm et al. 2010 b ), although the risks associated with light to moderate drinking (i.e., up to 24 grams of pure alcohol per day) are not necessarily different from the risks associated with abstention. Thus, the incidence of diseases of the liver and pancreas is associated primarily with heavy drinking.

It is important to note that given the same amount of drinking, the increase in the risk for mortality from these diseases is greater than the increase in risk for morbidity, especially at lower levels of consumption. This finding suggests that continued alcohol consumption, even in low doses, after the onset of liver or pancreas disease, increases the risk of severe consequences.

Unintentional Injuries

The link between alcohol and almost all kinds of unintentional injuries has long been established. It depends on the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and shows an exponential dose-response relationship ( Taylor et al. 2010 ). Alcohol affects psychomotor abilities, with a threshold dose for negative effects generally found at BACs of approximately 0.04 to 0.05 percent (which typically are achieved after consuming two to three drinks in an hour); accordingly, injury resulting from alcohol’s disruption of psychomotor function could occur in people with BACs at this level ( Eckardt et al. 1998 ). However, the epidemiological literature shows that even at lower BACs, injury risk is increased compared with no alcohol consumption ( Taylor et al. 2010 ).

The acute effects of alcohol consumption on injury risk are mediated by how regularly the individual drinks. People who drink less frequently are more likely to be injured or to injure others at a given BAC compared with regular drinkers, presumably because of less tolerance ( Gmel et al. 2010 ). This correlation was demonstrated with respect to traffic injuries in a reanalysis ( Hurst et al. 1994 ) of a classic study conducted in Grand Rapids, Michigan ( Borkenstein et al. 1974 ). It also is important to realize that even if the absolute risk for injury may be relatively small for each occasion of moderate drinking (defined as drinking up 36 grams pure alcohol in one sitting), the lifetime risks from such drinking occasions sums up to a considerable risk for those who often drink at such a level ( Taylor et al. 2008 ).

Intentional Injuries

Alcohol consumption is linked not only to unintentional but also to intentional injury. Both average volume of alcohol consumption and the level of drinking before the event have been shown to affect suicide risk ( Borges and Loera 2010 ). There also is a clear link between alcohol consumption and aggression, including, but not limited to, homicides ( Rehm et al. 2003 b ). Several causal pathways have been identified that play a role in this link, including biological pathways acting via alcohol’s effect on receptors for the brain signaling molecules (i.e., neurotransmitters) serotonin and γ-aminobutyric acid or via alcohol’s effects on cognitive functioning ( Rehm et al. 2003 b ). Cultural factors that are related to both differences in drinking patterns and beliefs and expectations about the effects of alcohol also influence the relationship between drinking and aggression ( Bushman and Cooper 1990 ; Graham 2003 ; Leonard 2005 ; Room and Rossow 2001 ).

Implications of Alcohol-Related Risks for Drinking Guidelines

Overall, the various risks associated with alcohol use at various levels can be combined to derive low-risk drinking guidelines. Such analyses found that overall, any increase in drinking beyond one standard drink on average per day is associated with an increased net risk for morbidity and mortality in high-income countries ( Rehm et al. 2009 ). Moreover, at any given consumption level this risk increase is larger for women than for men. NIAAA has translated the epidemiological findings into low-risk drinking limits of no more than 14 standard drinks per week for men and 7 standard drinks per week for women ( NIAAA 2010 ). These guidelines also specify that to limit the risk of acute consequences, daily consumption should not exceed four standard drinks for men and three for women ( NIAAA 2010 ).

Overall Global Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Burden of Disease

The most recent systematic overview on the effects of alcohol on global burden of disease was based on data for the year 2004 ( Rehm et al. 2009 a , b ) (see table 2 ). The analyses found that although AUDs (which constitute the major part of the neuropsychiatric disorders listed in the table) clearly are important contributors to global burden of disease, they only account for less than one-third of the overall impact of alcohol consumption. Almost equally important are the acute effects of alcohol consumption on the risk of both unintentional and intentional injury. In addition, alcohol has a sizable effect on the burden of disease associated with infectious diseases, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and liver cirrhosis. However, alcohol consumption also has beneficial effects on the burden of disease, mainly on diabetes and the ischemic disease subcategory of cardiovascular diseases. Yet these effects are by far outweighed by the detrimental consequences of alcohol consumption.

Effects of Alcohol on People Other Than the Drinker

So far, the discussion has centered on alcohol’s effects on health as measured by indicators that primarily are based on the records of hospitals and health systems. Reflecting the information contained in those records, most of the effects considered refer to the health of the drinker. However, this analytic approach omits two large classes of adverse consequences of alcohol: social harm to the drinker and social and health harms to others that result from the drinker’s alcohol consumption. According to the Constitution of the WHO ( WHO 1946 ), health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (p. 100); this definition therefore takes into account not just physical and mental harms but also social harms, both for the drinker and for others.

A few examples of harm to others are included in the analysis of alcohol’s contribution to the global burden of disease listed in table 2 . These include perinatal conditions attributable to the mother’s drinking during pregnancy and injuries, particularly assault injuries. However, the scope of alcohol-related social harm and of harm to others stretches well beyond these items. Thus, a recent study in Australia ( Laslett et al. 2010 ) identified the following harms to others associated with drinking:

Harms identified based on records—these included deaths and hospitalizations (e.g., attributed to traffic injuries because of driving under the influence), child abuse or neglect cases involving a caregiver’s drinking, and domestic and other assaults; and
Harms based on survey reports—these included negative effects on coworkers, household members, other relatives and friends, strangers, and on the community as a whole.

These effects were quite prevalent. Thus, the researchers estimated that within 1 year, more than 350 deaths were attributed to drinking by others, and more than 10 million Australians (or 70 percent of all adults) were negatively affected by a stranger’s drinking ( Laslett et al. 2010 ).

Social Harm

Drinkers also experience a range of social harms because of their own drinking, including family disruption, problems at the workplace (including unemployment), criminal convictions, and financial problems ( Casswell and Thamarangsi 2009 ; Klingemann and Gmel 2001 ). Unfortunately, assessment of these problems is much less standardized than assessment of health problems, and many of these harms are not reported continuously. Social-cost studies provide irregular updates of alcohol-attributable consequences in selected countries (for an overview, see Rehm et al. 2009 b ; Thavorncharoensap et al. 2009 ). These studies regularly find that health care costs comprise only a small portion of the overall costs associated with alcohol use and that most of the alcohol-associated costs are attributable to productivity losses. In total, the costs associated with alcohol use seem to amount to 1 to 3 percent of the gross domestic product in high-income countries; the alcohol-associated costs in South Korea and Thailand, the only two mid-income countries for which similar studies are available, were at about the same level.

Conclusions

As this review has shown, alcohol use is associated with tremendous costs to the drinker, those around him or her, and society as a whole. These costs result from the increased health risks (both physical and mental) associated with alcohol consumption as well as from the social harms caused by alcohol. To reduce alcohol’s impact on the burden of disease as well as on other social, legal, and monetary costs, it therefore is imperative to develop effective interventions that can prevent or delay initiation of drinking among those who do not drink, particularly adolescents, and limit consumption to low-risk drinking levels among those who do consume alcohol. The remaining articles in this journal issue present several such intervention approaches that are being implemented and evaluated in a variety of settings and/or are targeted at different population subgroups. Together with alcohol-related prevention policies, the implementation of specific interventions with proven effectiveness can help reduce the pain and suffering, and the associated costs, resulting from excessive alcohol use.

Acknowledgments

Financial support for this study was provided by NIAAA contract HHSN267200700041C to conduct the study titled “Alcohol- and Drug-Attributable Burden of Disease and Injury in the U.S.”

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agency.

F inancial D isclosure

Jürgen Rehm, Ph.D., received a salary and infrastructure support from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

1 Ischemic diseases are all conditions that are related to the formation of blood clots, which prevent adequate blood flow to certain tissues.

2 In the United States, a standard drink usually is considered to contain 0.6 fluid ounces (or 14 grams) of pure alcohol. This is the amount of ethanol found in approximately 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits. However, many drinks, as actually poured, contain more alcohol. Thus, for example, a glass of wine often contains more than 5 fluid ounces and therefore may correspond to one and a half or even two standard drinks.

3 The condition referred to as “harmful use” in the ICD–10 loosely corresponds to “alcohol abuse,” as defined in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Diseases, 4th Edition (DSM–IV).

4 Atrial fibrillation is an abnormal heart rhythm involving the two upper chambers (i.e., atria) of the heart.

5 A stroke is the disruption of normal blood flow to a brain region. In the case of an ischemic stroke, this is caused by blockage of a blood vessel that prevents the blood from reaching neighboring brain areas. In the case of a hemorrhagic stroke, rupture of a blood vessel and bleeding into the brain occurs, which prevents normal blood supply to other brain regions.

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Alcohol Consumption

Who consumes the most alcohol? How has consumption changed over time? And what are the health impacts?

By: Hannah Ritchie and Max Roser

This article was first published in April 2018. It was revised in January 2024.

Alcohol has historically, and continues to, hold an important role in social engagement and bonding for many. Social drinking or moderate alcohol consumption for many is pleasurable.

However, alcohol consumption – especially in excess – is linked to a number of negative outcomes: as a risk factor for diseases and health impacts, crime, road incidents, and, for some, alcohol dependence.

This topic page looks at the data on global patterns of alcohol consumption, patterns of drinking, beverage types, the prevalence of alcoholism, and consequences, including crime, mortality, and road incidents.

Alcohol consumption across the world today

This interactive map shows the annual average alcohol consumption of alcohol, expressed per person aged 15 years or older. To account for the differences in alcohol content of different alcoholic drinks (e.g., beer, wine, spirits), this is reported in liters of pure alcohol per year.

To make this average more understandable, we can express it in bottles of wine. Wine contains around 12% pure alcohol per volume 1 so that one liter of wine contains 0.12 liters of pure alcohol. So, a value of 6 liters of pure alcohol per person per year is equivalent to 50 liters of wine. Or, 67 standard bottles of wine (which have a volume of 0.75 liters).

As the map shows, the average per capita alcohol consumption varies widely globally.

We see large geographical differences: Alcohol consumption across North Africa and the Middle East is particularly low — in many countries, close to zero. At the upper end of the scale, alcohol intake across Europe is higher.

Share of adults who drink alcohol

This interactive map shows the share of adults who drink alcohol. This is given as the share of adults aged 15 years and older who have drunk alcohol within the previous year.

In many countries, the majority of adults drink some alcohol. Across Europe, for example, more than two-thirds do in most countries.

Again, the prevalence of drinking across North Africa and the Middle East is notably lower than elsewhere. Typically, 5 to 10 percent of adults across these regions drank in the preceding year, and in a number of countries, this was below 5 percent.

Alcohol consumption by sex

When we look at gender differences, we see that in all countries, men have a higher alcohol consumption than women.

In a related chart, you can see the share who drink alcohol by gender and age group in the UK .

Heavy drinking sessions

Alcohol consumption – whilst a risk factor for a number of health outcomes – typically has the greatest negative impacts when consumed within heavy sessions.

This pattern of drinking is often termed 'binging,' where individuals consume large amounts of alcohol within a single session versus small quantities more frequently.

Heavy episodic drinking is defined as the proportion of adult drinkers who have had at least 60 grams or more of pure alcohol on at least one occasion in the past 30 days. An intake of 60 grams of pure alcohol is approximately equal to 6 standard alcoholic drinks .

The map shows heavy drinkers – those who had an episode of heavy drinking in the previous 30 days – as a share of total drinkers (i.e., those who have drunk less than one alcoholic drink in the last 12 months are excluded).

The comparison of this map with the previous maps makes clear that heavy drinking is not necessarily most common in the same countries where alcohol consumption is most common.

Data on the prevalence of binge drinking by age and gender in the UK can be found here , and trends in heavy and binge drinking in the USA can be found here .

Share of adults who don't drink alcohol

Global trends on alcohol abstinence show a mirror image of drinking prevalence data. This is shown in the charts as the share of adults who had not drunk in the prior year and those who have never drunk alcohol.

Here, we see particularly high levels of alcohol abstinence across North Africa and the Middle East. In most countries in this region, the majority of adults have never drunk alcohol.

Data on the share who don't drink alcohol by gender and age group in the UK is available here .

Historical perspective on alcohol consumption

Total alcohol consumption over the long-run.

The chart shows alcohol consumption since 1890 in a number of countries.

A century ago, some countries had much higher levels of alcohol consumption. In France in the 1920s, the average was 22.1 liters of pure alcohol per person per year. This equals 184 one-liter wine bottles per person per year. 2 Note that in contrast to the modern statistics that are expressed in alcohol consumption per person older than 15 years, this includes children as well – the average alcohol consumption per adult was, therefore, even higher.

Alcohol consumption by type of alcoholic beverage

This chart shows the change in consumption of alcoholic beverages.

By default, the data for France is shown – in recent decades, here, the share of beer consumption increased to make up around a fifth of alcohol consumption in France.

With the change country feature, it is possible to view the same data for other countries. Sweden, for example, increased the share of wine consumption and, therefore, reduced the share of spirits.

Alcohol consumption in the United States since 1850

Long-run data on alcohol consumption from the United States gives us one perspective of drinking since 1850. In the chart, we see the average consumption (in liters of ethanol) of different beverage types per person in the USA since the mid-nineteenth century.

Over this long time period, we see that per capita drinking quantities have been relatively constant — typically averaging around 8 to 9 liters per year. Over the period 1920-1933, there was a ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States (known as the 'National Alcohol Prohibition'). Since the statistics here reflect reported sales and consumption statistics, they assume zero consumption of alcohol over this time. However, there is evidence that alcohol consumption continued through the black market and illegal sales, particularly in the sales of spirits. It's estimated that at the beginning of Prohibition, alcohol consumption decreased to approximately 30 percent of pre-prohibition levels but slowly increased to 60-70 percent by the end of the period. 3

As we see, following prohibition, levels of alcohol consumption returned to similar levels as in the pre-prohibition period.

Global beer consumption

The charts show global consumption of beer, first in terms of beer as a share of total alcohol consumption, and then the estimated average consumption per person.

Both are measured in terms of pure alcohol/ethanol intake rather than the total quantity of the beverage. Beer contains around 5% of pure alcohol per volume 1 so that one liter of beer contains 0.05 liters of pure alcohol. This means that 5 liters of pure alcohol equals 100 liters of beer.

Global wine consumption

The charts show global consumption of wine, first in terms of wine as a share of total alcohol consumption, and then the estimated average consumption per person.

Both are measured in terms of pure alcohol/ethanol intake rather than the total quantity of the beverage. Wine contains around 12% pure alcohol per volume, so that one liter of wine contains 0.12 liters of pure alcohol.

Global consumption of spirits

The charts show global consumption of spirits, which are distilled alcoholic drinks, including gin, rum, whisky, tequila, and vodka.

The first map shows this in terms of spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption. In many Asian countries, spirits account for most of total alcohol consumption.

The second map shows the estimated average consumption per person.

Both are measured in terms of pure alcohol/ethanol intake rather than the total quantity of the beverage.

Expenditures on alcohol and alcohol consumption by income

Alcohol consumption vs. income.

Does alcohol consumption increase as countries get richer?

In the chart, we see the relationship between average per capita alcohol consumption – in liters of pure alcohol per year – versus gross domestic product (GDP) per capita across countries.

When we look at national averages in this way, there is no distinct relationship between income and alcohol consumption. As shown by clusters of countries (for example, Middle Eastern countries with low alcohol intake but high GDP per capita), we tend to see strong cultural patterns that tend to alter the standard income-consumption relationship we may expect.

However, when we look at consumption data within given countries, we sometimes do see a clear income correlation. Taking 2016 data in the UK as an example, we see that people within higher income brackets tend to drink more frequently. This correlation is also likely to be influenced by other lifestyle determinants and habits; the UK ONS also reports that when grouped by education status, those with a university tend to drink more in total and more frequently than those of lower education status. There are also differences when grouped by profession: individuals in managerial or professional positions tend to drink more frequently than those in intermediate or manual labor roles. 4

We also find correlates in drinking patterns when we look at groupings of income, education or work status. Although those in lower income or educational status groups often drink less overall, they are more likely to have lower-frequency, higher-intensity drinking patterns. Overall, these groups drink less, but a higher percentage will drink heavily when they do.

Alcohol expenditure

This interactive chart shows the average share of household expenditure that is spent on alcohol.

Data on alcohol expenditure is typically limited to North America, Europe, and Oceania.

Alcohol expenditure over the long-term

This shows the expenditure on alcohol in the United States, differentiated by where the alcohol has been purchased and consumed.

The health impact of alcohol

Alcohol is responsible for many premature deaths each year.

Alcohol is one of the world's largest risk factors for premature death.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), in its Global Burden of Disease study, provides estimates of the number of deaths attributed to the range of risk factors. 5 In the visualization, we see the number of deaths per year attributed to each risk factor. This chart is shown for the global total but can be explored for any country or region using the "Change country or region" toggle.

Alcohol as a risk factor for mortality

Alcohol consumption is a known risk factor for a number of health conditions, and potential mortality cases. Alcohol consumption has a causal impact on more than 200 health conditions (diseases and injuries).

In the chart, we see estimates of the alcohol-attributable fraction (AAF), which is the proportion of deaths that are caused or exacerbated by alcohol (i.e., that proportion that would disappear if alcohol consumption was removed). We see that the proportion of deaths attributed to alcohol consumption is lower in North Africa and the Middle East and much higher in Eastern Europe.

Rate of premature deaths due to alcohol

Shown here is the rate of premature deaths caused by alcohol.

Globally, the age-standardized death rate has declined from approximately 40 deaths per 100,000 people in the early 1990s to 30 deaths per 100,000 in 2019.

Alcohol-related deaths by age

The chart shows the age distribution of those dying premature deaths due to alcohol.

It is possible to switch this data to any other country or region in the world.

Alcoholism and alcohol use disorders

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) refers to the drinking of alcohol that causes mental and physical health problems.

Alcohol use disorder, which includes alcohol dependence, is defined in the WHO's International Classification of Diseases (available here ).

At the end of this topic page , we provide a number of potential sources of support and guidance for those concerned about uncontrolled drinking or alcohol dependency.

A definite diagnosis of dependence should usually be made only if three or more of the following have been present together at some time during the previous year:

(a) a strong desire or sense of compulsion to take the substance;
(b) difficulties in controlling substance-taking behaviour in terms of its onset, termination, or levels of use;
(c) a physiological withdrawal state when substance use has ceased or been reduced, as evidenced by: the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the substance; or use of the same (or a closely related) substance with the intention of relieving or avoiding withdrawal symptoms;
(d) evidence of tolerance, such that increased doses of the psychoactive substance are required in order to achieve effects originally produced by lower doses (clear examples of this are found in alcohol- and opiate-dependent individuals who may take daily doses sufficient to incapacitate or kill nontolerant users);
(e) progressive neglect of alternative pleasures or interests because of psychoactive substance use, increased amount of time necessary to obtain or take the substance or to recover from its effects;
(f) persisting with substance use despite clear evidence of overtly harmful consequences, such as harm to the liver through excessive drinking, depressive mood states consequent to periods of heavy substance use, or drug-related impairment of cognitive functioning; efforts should be made to determine that the user was actually, or could be expected to be, aware of the nature and extent of the harm.

Prevalence of alcohol use disorders

It's estimated that globally, around 1 percent of the population has an alcohol use disorder. At the country level, as shown in the chart, this ranges from around 0.5 to 5 percent of the population.

When we look at the variance in prevalence across age groups , we see that globally, the prevalence is highest in those aged between 15 and 49 years old.

The breakdown of alcohol use disorders by gender for any country can be viewed here ; the majority of people with alcohol use disorders – around three-quarters – are male.

The scatter plot compares the prevalence of alcohol use disorders in males versus that of females. The prevalence of alcohol dependence in men is typically higher than in women across all countries.

Deaths from alcohol use disorders

Deaths from alcohol dependence can occur both directly or indirectly. Indirect deaths from alcohol use disorders can occur indirectly through suicide. Although clear attribution of suicide deaths is challenging, alcohol use disorders are a known and established risk factor. It's estimated that the relative risk of suicide in an individual with alcohol dependence is around ten times higher than in an individual without. 6

The chart shows direct death rates (not including suicide deaths) from alcohol use disorders across the world. The death rates are typically higher in Eastern Europe and lower in North Africa and the Middle East.

The total estimated number of deaths by country from 1990 to 2019 is found here .

Alcohol use disorder treatment

Global data on the prevalence and effectiveness of alcohol use disorder treatment is incomplete.

In the chart, we see data across some countries on the share of people with an alcohol use disorder who received treatment. This data is based on estimates of prevalence and treatment published by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Alcohol use disorder vs. average alcohol intake

Do countries with higher average alcohol consumption have a higher prevalence of alcohol use disorders?

In the chart, we see the prevalence of alcohol dependence versus the average per capita alcohol consumption. There is no clear evidence that high overall consumption (particularly in moderate quantities) is connected to the onset of alcohol dependency.

The disease burden from alcohol use disorders

Measuring the health impact by mortality alone fails to capture the impact that alcohol use disorders have on an individual's well-being. The ' disease burden ' – measured in Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) – considers mortality and years lived with disability or health burden. The map shows DALYs per 100,000 people, which result from alcohol use disorders.

DALY rates differentiated by age group can be found here .

Risk factors for alcohol use disorders

Many of the risk factors for alcohol dependency are similar to those of overall drug use disorders (including illicit drug disorders). Further discussion on these risk factors can be found on our topic page on drug use .

Mental health disorders as a risk factor for alcohol dependency

In the chart we show results from a study published by Swendsen et al. (2010). 7

In this study, the authors followed a cohort of more than 5,000 individuals with and without a mental health disorder (but without a drug use disorder) over a 10-year period. Following the ten-year period, they re-assessed such individuals for whether they had either nicotine, alcohol, or illicit drug dependency. 8

The results in the chart show the increased risk of developing alcohol dependency (we show results for illicit drug dependency in our topic page on drug use ) for someone with a given mental health disorder (relative to those without). For example, a value of 3.6 for bipolar disorder indicates that illicit drug dependency became more than three times more likely in individuals with bipolar disorder than those without. The risk of an alcohol use disorder is highest in individuals with intermittent explosive disorder, dysthymia, ODD, bipolar disorder, and social phobia.

Alcohol, crime, and road deaths

Alcohol-related road traffic deaths.

The map shows the share of all road traffic deaths attributed to alcohol consumption over the national legal limit for alcohol consumption.

In South Africa and Papua New Guinea, more than half of all traffic deaths are attributable to alcohol consumption.

In the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and many European countries, alcohol is responsible for around a third of all traffic deaths.

Definitions and Measurement

What is a standard drink measure.

Whilst the World Health Organization (WHO) and most national guidelines typically quantify one unit of alcohol as equal to 10 grams of pure alcohol, the metric used as a 'standard measure' can vary across countries. Most countries across Europe use this 10-gram metric. However, this can vary, with several adopting 12 or 14 grams per unit.

In North America, a unit is typically taken as 14 grams of pure alcohol. In Japan, this is as high as around 20 grams per unit.

Further Resources & Guidance

Alcohol rehab guide.

Information : Guidance on the signs of alcoholism, unhealthy drinking behaviors, and support on where to go for help
Geographical coverage: Universal guidance; support options for the United States
Available at: https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/support/

Hello Sunday Morning

Information : A social movement with the aim to reduce stigma around alcohol and to encourages people to consider their relationship with alcohol.
Available at: HelloSundayMorning.org

Drink Aware

Information : List and contact details of a range of places for support on alcohol issues
Geographical coverage: United Kingdom
Available at: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/alcohol-support-services/

Rethinking Drinking

Information : Test to assess your drinking patterns relative to the US population
Geographical coverage: Global; assesses relative to US drinking patterns
Available at: What's your drinking pattern?

Rehab 4 Addiction

Information : An advisory and referral service for people who suffer from alcohol, drug, and behavioral addiction.
Geographical coverage: Universal guidance; support options for the United Kingdom
Available at: https://www.rehab4addiction.co.uk/

Interactive charts on alcohol consumption

Alcohol.org has this overview of the range of alcohol by volume of beer, wine, & liquor.

22.1 liters per person in France equals 22.1l / 0.12l = 184 bottles per year.

Miron & Zwiebel (1991). Alcohol Consumption During Prohibition. The American Economic Review , Vol. 81, No. 2, pp. 242-247, (May 1991). Available online .

ONS (2018). Adult drinking habits in Great Britain. UK Office of National Statistics . Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/drugusealcoholandsmoking/datasets/adultdrinkinghabits

GBD 2019 Risk Factor Collaborators. "Global burden of 87 risk factors in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019" (2020). Link here

Ferrari et al. (2015). The Burden Attributable to Mental and Substance Use Disorders as Risk Factors for Suicide: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. PLOS ONE . Available online .

Swendsen, J., Conway, K. P., Degenhardt, L., Glantz, M., Jin, R., Merikangas, K. R., … & Kessler, R. C. (2010). Mental disorders as risk factors for substance use, abuse, and dependence: results from the 10‐year follow‐up of the National Comorbidity Survey. Addiction , 105 (6), 1117-1128. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.02902.x

Full data with confidence intervals and statistical significance can be found in our table here .

Cite this work

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The New York Sun

Alarming rise in cancer rates among young adults linked to alcohol consumption.

There is a radical reevaluation of the health benefits associated with moderate alcohol consumption.

Over the past six decades, rates of breast and colorectal cancer among adults under age 50 have been climbing, and a new report suggests alcohol consumption may be a significant contributing factor.

The American Association for Cancer Research released a comprehensive report Wednesday that highlights scientific advancements leading to new cancer treatments and improved overall survival rates. However, it also shows a concerning trend.

While overall cancer death rates have decreased, the incidence of several cancers is rising, particularly among younger adults. The report notes an alarming increase in gastrointestinal cancers, such as colorectal cancer. It estimates that 40 percent of all cancer cases are connected to modifiable risk factors, urging the reduction of alcohol consumption along with lifestyle changes like avoiding tobacco, maintaining a healthy diet, and exercising.

The report called for increased public awareness campaigns and advocated for cancer-specific warning labels on alcoholic beverages. This comes amidst a radical re-evaluation of the health benefits associated with moderate alcohol consumption.

Last month, a major study tracking more than 135,000 older British adults found that moderate and light drinkers did not experience a reduction in heart disease compared to occasional drinkers. The same study showed that both moderate and light drinkers faced higher cancer mortality rates.

Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to several types of cancer, including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and cancers of the head, neck, breast, colorectal, liver, and stomach. In 2019, 5.4 percent of cancers in the United States were attributed to alcohol use.

Despite this, public awareness remains low. A study highlighted in the report found that less than one-third of women aged 18 to 25 knew about the increased risk of breast cancer from alcohol consumption.

Mr. Curl covered the White House for a dozen years as a correspondent for the Washington Times. He also ran the Drudge Report for four years as the morning editor.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Alcohol — The effects of alcohol consumption in college students

The Effects of Alcohol Consumption in College Students

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Frederick Schauer, Scholar Who Scrutinized Free Speech, Dies at 78

In more than a dozen books and several hundred articles, he devoted himself, as he once said, to “questioning the unquestionable or thinking the unthinkable.”

Frederick Schauer, a man with short hair, a faint beard and wire-rimmed glasses, stands at a podium in front of a chalkboard with the words “Local priority” on it and gestures with his left hand.

By Michael S. Rosenwald

Frederick Schauer, a prominent legal philosopher who challenged prevailing views about freedom of speech, restrictions on obscenity and the ethics of racial profiling, died on Sept. 1 at his home in Charlottesville, Va. He was 78.

The cause was end stage renal disease, said his wife, Barbara Spellman.

In more than a dozen books and several hundred articles, Professor Schauer devoted himself to “questioning the unquestionable or thinking the unthinkable,” as he once put it, no matter the subject — whether it be the sanctity of the First Amendment or common interpretations of the Constitution.

“If the answers to questions like these turn out to be consistent with the received wisdom, then understanding has been substituted for blind acceptance and analysis substituted for platitudes,” he told Contemporary Authors, a reference guide, in 2008. “And if the answers turn out to reject the received wisdom, then something has been added to the existing knowledge.”

In articles and in his 1982 book, “Free Speech: A Philosophical Enquiry,” Professor Schauer argued that the broad free speech protections enshrined in the Constitution and strongly upheld by courts sometimes overshadowed competing interests like public order, morality and national security. He also examined the ways free speech safeguards in the United States were more expansive than those in other democracies.

“That does not necessarily mean that the rest of the world is right and the United States wrong,” Professor Schauer was quoted as saying in a profile in the Virginia Journal, “but it does suggest that it is a mistake to assume that free speech does not compete with other legitimate concerns, and a mistake to fail to recognize that we protect speech not because it is harmless, but despite the harm it may cause.”

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Effects of Alcohol Consumption
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Consumption of alcohol, even though at a moderate level, is one of the risk factors for atrial fibrillation. Larsson et al., Sweden, July 2014 . (10) To examine the dose-response relationship between AF and consumption of alcohol. Systemic review and meta-analysis: There is a causal impact of the consumption of alcohol on the onset of atrial ...
Social and Cultural Contexts of Alcohol Use
The alcohol research literature is overwhelmingly focused on risk factors, from the societal level down to the individual. Worldwide, 3.3 million deaths were attributed to alcohol misuse in 2012 (World Health Organization 2014).Excessive alcohol use is the third leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for 88,000 deaths per year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2014).
Alcohol Consumption Essay
This paper summarizes studies done on the physical, cognitive and emotional effects that alcohol has on people, before and after consumption. This paper accesses the effects on a person's body, mind and soul. Alcohol affects the way a person thinks, acts, and feels. Methods include gathering statistical information and doing studies over many ...
Problem of Excess Alcohol Drinking in Society Essay
Excessive consumption of alcohol is associated with immediate health risk that if not addressed, can lead to long-term health risks. Immediate health risks. Excessive consumption of alcohol is linked violent behavior. Masters (23) reports that nearly 35% of the violent crimes are caused by individuals under the influence of alcohol.
The Risks Associated With Alcohol Use and Alcoholism
Alcohol consumption has been identified as an important risk factor for illness, disability, and mortality (Rehm et al. 2009b).In fact, in the last comparative risk assessment conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the detrimental impact of alcohol consumption on the global burden of disease and injury was surpassed only by unsafe sex and childhood underweight status but exceeded ...
Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol has historically, and continues to, hold an important role in social engagement and bonding for many. Social drinking or moderate alcohol consumption for many is pleasurable. However, alcohol consumption - especially in excess - is linked to a number of negative outcomes: as a risk factor for diseases and health impacts, crime, road ...
≡Essays on Alcohol
Alcohol essay topics consumption have got much attention recently because, according to many researches, alcohol kills thousands of people annually. In fact, knowing all the risks, people continue drinking it and this issue has now transformed into a global disaster, as well as a common problem to discuss in your work on alcohol essay topics. ...
Deep Links Between Alcohol and Cancer Are Described in New Report
Some 5.4% of cancers in the United States — just over 1 in 20 cancer diagnoses — were attributed to alcohol consumption in 2019, the most recent year for which data is available. Advertising ...
Alarming Rise in Cancer Rates Among Young Adults Linked to Alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to several types of cancer, including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and cancers of the head, neck, breast, colorectal, liver, and stomach. In 2019, 5.4 percent of cancers in the United States were attributed to alcohol use. Despite this, public awareness remains low.
The Effects of Alcohol Consumption in College Students
Get original essay. Another reason for alcohol consumption is stress reduction. We live in trying times, and alcohol is seen as a way to alleviate our stress. Self-medication for other problems carries over to alcohol ingestion. Alcohol can ease physical and emotional pain. If the person who consumes alcohol is also using medications for pain ...
Frederick Schauer, Scholar Who Scrutinized Free Speech, Dies at 78
Frederick Schauer, a prominent legal philosopher who challenged prevailing views about freedom of speech, restrictions on obscenity and the ethics of racial profiling, died on Sept. 1 at his home ...