World Health
Organization
Wider implementation of policies is needed to save lives
and reduce the health impact of harmful alcohol drinking, says a new report
launched by the World Health Organization (WHO). Harmful use of alcohol
results in the death of 2.5 million people annually, causes illness and
injury to many more, and increasingly affects younger generations and
drinkers in developing countries.
Harmful use of alcohol is defined as excessive use to the
point that it causes damage to health and often includes adverse social
consequences.
The Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health analyzes
available evidence on alcohol consumption, consequences and policy
interventions at global, regional and national levels.
“Many countries recognize the serious public health
problems caused by the harmful use of alcohol and have taken steps to
prevent the health and social burdens and treat those in need of care. But
clearly much more needs to be done to reduce the loss of life and suffering
associated with harmful alcohol use,” says Dr Ala Alwan, WHO Assistant
Director-General for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health.
Harmful use of alcohol has many implications on public
health, such as:
* Nearly 4% of all deaths are related to alcohol. Most
alcohol-related deaths are caused by alcohol result from injuries, cancer,
cardiovascular diseases and liver cirrhosis;
* Globally, 6.2% of all male deaths are related to
alcohol, compared to 1.1% of female deaths. One-in-five men in the Russian
Federation and neighboring countries die due to alcohol-related causes;
* Globally, 320,000 young people aged 15-29 years die
annually from alcohol-related causes, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that
age group.
Too few countries use effective policy options to prevent
death, disease and injury from alcohol use. From 1999, when WHO first began
to report on alcohol policies, at least 34 countries have adopted some type
of formal policies to reduce harmful use of alcohol. Restrictions on alcohol
marketing and on drink-driving have increased, but there are no clear trends
on most preventive measures. Many countries have weak alcohol policies and
prevention programs.
The Global Strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol,
endorsed by WHO’s Member States in May 2010, promotes a range of proven
effective measures for reducing alcohol-related harm. These include taxation
on alcohol to reduce harmful drinking; reducing availability through
allowing fewer outlets to sell alcohol, raising age limits for those buying
and using effective drink-driving measures.
The Global Strategy also promotes the screening and brief
interventions in healthcare settings to change hazardous patterns of
drinking, and treatment of alcohol use disorders; regulating or banning
marketing of alcoholic beverages; and conducting information and educational
campaigns in support of effective policy measures.
Worldwide consumption in 2005 was equal to 6.13 liters of
pure alcohol consumed per person aged 15 years or older, according to the
report. Analysis from 2001-2005 showed countries in the WHO Americas,
European, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific regions had relatively
stable consumption levels during that time; but marked increases were seen
in Africa and South-East Asia during the five-year period.
Despite widespread consumption, most people do not drink.
Almost half of all men and two-thirds of women did not consume alcohol in
2005, according to the latest information made available in the report.
Abstention rates are low in high-income, high consumption countries, and
higher in North African and South Asian countries. But those who do drink in
countries with high abstention rates consume alcohol at high levels.
This month’s report launch coincides with the end of a
four-day meeting of officials from over 100 countries working with WHO to
reduce harmful use of alcohol worldwide. This first such meeting, hosted by
WHO in Geneva, was held to initiate implementation of the Global Strategy to
Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol. The strategy aims to raise awareness on
the problems of harmful alcohol use and help countries to better prevent and
reduce such harm.
Note: Harmful alcohol use is one of four common risk
factors, along with tobacco use, poor diet and physical inactivity, for the
four main groups of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) - cardiovascular
diseases, cancer, chronic lung diseases and diabetes.
Further information:
Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2011:
http://www.who.int/substance_ abuse/publications/global_ alcohol_report/en/
Fact sheet on alcohol:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs349/en/index.html
Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol:
http://www.who.int/substance _abuse/msbalcstragegy.pdf
WHO Mental Health and Substance Abuse Department:
http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/en/
