Alcohol consumption increases mortality rate

Alcohol consumption increases the risk of various cancers, hypertension, liver disease, unintentional injuries, and violence. The Medical Statistics Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London conducted a study based on an analysis of published systematic reviews and population data. The objective was to estimate the relation between alcohol consumption and risk of death, the level of alcohol consumption at which risk is least, and how these vary with age and sex. A direct dose-response relation was found to exist between alcohol consumption and risk of death in women aged 16-54 and in men aged 16-34. At older ages the relation is U shaped. The level at which the risk is lowest increases with age, reaching 3 units a week in women aged over 65 and 8 units a week in men aged over 65. The level at which the risk is increased by 5% above this minimum is 8 units a week in women aged 16-24 and 5 units a week in men aged 16-24, increasing to 20 and 34 units a week in women and men aged over 65, respectively. Substantially increased risks of mortality can occur even in people drinking lower than recommended limits especially among younger people. Women would be advised to limit their drinking to 1 unit a day up to age 44, 2 units a day up to age 74, and 3 units a day over age 75. Non-drinking men aged 55-84 have a risk slightly more than 5% above the minimum risk, but it is not advisable to encourage these men to drink, because this might increase the overall public health burden of heavier drinking. Men would be advised to limit their drinking to 1 unit a day up to age 34, 2 units a day up to age 44, 3 units a day up to age 54, 4 units a day up to age 84, and 5 units a day over age 85. These levels are similar to current limits at older ages but considerably lower at younger ages. Public health must take account of morbidity and social harm, which are harder to measure than mortality, but much more adversely affected by alcohol consumption. As most deaths attributable to alcohol at younger ages are due to injuries, a greater focus could be placed on avoiding risky patterns of drinking rather than on reducing average alcohol consumption.