A global study published in The Lancet journal reveals young people face higher health risks from alcohol consumption than older adults. This is the first study to report alcohol risk by geographical region, age, sex, and year. The study suggests that global alcohol consumption recommendations should be based on age and location, with the strictest guidelines targeting males between ages 15-39 at the greatest risk of harmful alcohol consumption worldwide.
The study also suggests that adults aged 40 and older without underlying health conditions may see some benefits from small alcohol consumption, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes. About 60 per cent of alcohol-related injuries occur among people in this age group, including motor vehicle accidents, suicides, and homicides, they said.
Study senior author Emmanuela Gakidou, professor at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, US, said, “Our message is simple: young people should not drink, but older people may benefit from drinking small amounts. While it may not be realistic to think young adults will abstain from drinking, we think it is important to communicate the latest evidence so everyone can make informed decisions about their health.”
The researchers looked at the risk of alcohol consumption on 22 health outcomes, including injuries, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers, using 2020 Global Burden of Disease data for males and females aged 15-95 years and older between 1990 and 2020 in 204 countries and territories. From this, the researchers could estimate the average daily intake of alcohol that minimises risk to a population.
The analysis also suggests that for adults aged 40 and older without any underlying health conditions, drinking a small amount of alcohol may provide some benefits, such as reducing the risk of ischemic heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
