Increase of 70 percent since 1990, The world has never drunk so much

Religion can play a big role in the amount of alcohol consumption and the economic growth. Researchers have now investigated the development of drinking around the world. Result: Worldwide, about 40 percent of the people are abstinent. In a Boom Region of the alcohol consumption is increasing this dramatically.

How harmful is alcohol for health can be, is already known for years. And yet, more and more drunk, the result of an international study in the journal “The Lancet is the world”. An analysis of data from 189 countries, found that the alcohol consumption of the world’s population increased from 1990 to 2017, by 70 percent. The cause of the increase in population and the greater consumption per capita.

However, there were large regional differences. While the consumption grew, for example, in China, India and Vietnam, it will be in the Eastern European countries of the high level significantly decreased. In Germany, the researchers observed a Stagnation with a slightly decreasing Trend.

“The main risk factor for predictable diseases”

Traffic accidents, cardiovascular diseases and cancer are only a part of the causes of death that are directly or indirectly associated with alcohol. According to the world health organization, WHO, in 2016, of any 20. The event of death in the world. According to the abusive consumption of alcohol should be reduced from 2018 to 2025 by ten percent – a goal that is missed the study authors reported that probably.

“Instead, the alcohol will remain one of the main risk factors for predictable diseases, and its effects are likely to increase relative to other risk factors,” explains Jakob Manthey from the Institute for Clinical psychology and psychotherapy (IKPP) of the TU Dresden in a study published communication.

The highest increase in the Boom Region

For the study, the research team analysed data on alcohol consumption of people from 15 to 99 years, out of 189 countries for the years 1990, 2010 and 2017 and projected therefrom, and also the development for the year 2030. The scientists found that, in 2017 in North African countries as well as countries in the Middle East has been drunk for the least money, while it was in Central and Eastern Europe the most. The highest increase since 2010, but has been observed with 34 percent in the economically emerging Southeast Asia.

In Detail, the Eastern European Moldova to 2017, had) the highest consumption (15 litres of pure alcohol per person of 15 to 99 years) and the predominantly Muslim Kuwait the lowest (less than 0.005 liters. The different Figures and developments of the scientists on factors such as Religion, health policy, and economic growth. Especially, the economic growth seems to have this effect, as the examples of China and India show, where the consumption of alcohol has doubled in 1990, and 2017, respectively, almost or more than. dpa is A teenager sitting behind bottles of alcohol (icon image)

In Germany, the values stagnate

Global potion in 1990, every man from 15 to 99 years an average of 5.9 litres equivalent of pure alcohol. By 2017, this consumption increased to 6.5 liters. For the arrangement: half A Liter of beer contains about 20 grams of pure alcohol. In Germany, as in other high-income countries stagnated or declined, the Numbers, according to the study, however: in 1990, this country is still 16,32 Liter were drinking pure alcohol, in 2010 it was only 12,95 Liter. In 2017, a slight increase on 13,05 Liter followed. By 2030, scientists predict, however, a consumption of 11.63 liters.

“Our study provides a comprehensive Overview of the changing landscape of the global alcohol consumption,” sums up psychologist Manthey. “Before 1990, most of the alcohol in high-income countries was consumed with the highest Levels in Europe. This pattern has changed significantly, with strong reductions in Eastern Europe and tremendous growth in several middle-income countries, such as China, India and Vietnam.“ This Trend is expected to continue until 2030, so that Europe will then have the highest alcohol consumption, Manthey.

A further observation of the study: The number of life-long abstainers remained globally approximately stable (1990: 46% 2017: 43 per cent), as well as the heavy drinker (1990: 18.5%, 2017: 20%). The researchers estimate that these data are unlikely to change, however, the amount of alcohol consumed will grow stronger as the number of drinkers – with corresponding health consequences.

Expert: restrictions are useful, even against the resistance of the industry

In a comment to the study, which was also published in The Lancet, warn that the Addiction doctor Sarah Callinan of the Australian La Trobe University and Michael Livingston from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, however, to enjoy the advance of the study to say with caution. So accurate forecasts to alcohol consumption, and economic growth very difficult to.

Nevertheless, just countries with low and middle incomes should adjust their drug policy, as is to be expected here, thus, is that people drink more in the future. Examples from high-income countries have shown that higher prices or a reduction in the availability could be effective, write Callinan and Livingston. At the same time prohibitions or restrictions on meaningful measures of advertising – also against the resistance of the industry.