Alcohol Facts and Statistics National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA

This data is based on estimates of prevalence and treatment published by the World Health Organization (WHO). 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 Deaths from alcohol dependence can occur both directly or indirectly.

Family History and Genetic Risk

Alcohol abuse statistics indicate some inequalities may be due to social conditioning. Moreover, as societal attitudes continue to shift toward viewing alcoholism as a treatable medical condition rather than a moral failing, we can expect greater openness to seeking help. Alcohol misuse has far-reaching personal, social, and economic consequences, yet the data also show that effective solutions exist. Demographic factors, such as age and gender, help illuminate who is most at risk, while socioeconomic and geographic data reveal where disparities exist. Targeted prevention efforts can reduce the prevalence of alcohol misuse and delay or avert progression to full-blown alcohol dependence. Understanding how alcohol misuse breaks down by age group is important because interventions can then be more precisely targeted.

Alcohol is one of the world’s largest risk factors for premature death. This shows the expenditure on alcohol in the United States, differentiated by where the alcohol has been purchased and consumed. Data on alcohol expenditure is typically limited to North America, Europe, and Oceania. Overall, these groups drink less, but a higher percentage will drink heavily when they do. Wine contains around 12% pure alcohol per volume, so that one liter of wine contains 0.12 liters of pure alcohol. This means that 5 liters of pure alcohol equals 100 liters of beer.

  • The ‘disease burden’ – measured in Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) – considers mortality and years lived with disability or health burden.
  • Only nine states have alcohol consumption per capita less than the 2.1-gallon goal.
  • Alaska has the nation’s second-highest number of alcohol-related deaths per capita.
  • Learn up-to-date facts and statistics on alcohol consumption and its impact in the United States and globally.

Alcohol Addiction Statistics in Women vs. Men

This interactive map shows the annual average alcohol consumption of alcohol, expressed per person aged 15 years or older. Explore statistics on alcohol-related deaths and emergency visits in the United States. Discover how many people with alcohol use disorder in the United States receive treatment across age groups and demographics. Find out how many people have alcohol use disorder in the United States across age groups and demographics. Explore topics related to alcohol misuse and treatment, underage drinking, the effects of alcohol on the human body, and more. Learn up-to-date facts and statistics on alcohol consumption and its impact in the United States and globally.

California Alcohol Abuse Statistics

Alcohol Use Disorder and alcoholism have damaged some groups or demographics more than others. Children aged 17 years and younger are much more likely to live with an alcoholic parent than they are to be diagnosed with a learning disability or ADHD. Most American adults consume alcohol at least once in their lifetime.

Rate of premature deaths due to alcohol

Alaska has the nation’s second-highest number of alcohol-related deaths per capita. With appropriate intervention, many people do recover fully from alcohol use disorders, restoring stability and improving their overall quality of life. Societal norms around alcohol have shifted considerably, and one of the most notable changes is the narrowing gap between male and female drinking rates. By highlighting the data behind alcohol use disorders (AUD), this article aims to underscore both the breadth of the problem and the opportunities for meaningful change.

Alcohol Facts and Statistics

Measuring the health impact by mortality alone fails to capture the impact that alcohol use disorders have on an individual’s well-being. Global data on the prevalence and effectiveness of alcohol use disorder treatment is incomplete. 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.

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Socioeconomic Factors

  • 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.
  • Third-party materials, including some charts and data, are subject to third-party licenses.
  • 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
  • New Jersey has the second-lowest number of alcohol-related deaths per capita (Utah has the lowest).

Additionally, excessive alcohol consumption can cause fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis in the liver. While alcohol plays an important social role in many cultures, and the occasional drink is considered harmless, excessive consumption has adverse effects. Alcoholism is a chronic disease characterized by excessive drinking and a preoccupation or dependency on alcohol. Excessive alcohol use can harm people who drink and those around them. On average, the direct and indirect costs of excessive drinking add up to about $807 per person in the United States.

The following discussion provides a comprehensive overview of alcoholism in the United States, examining key demographics, socioeconomic influences, treatment patterns, and long-term trends. Drinking alcohol while pregnant can be dangerous to the fetus and cause developmental issues in children. A driver is considered alcohol-impaired when their blood alcohol concentration is .08 grams per deciliter or higher. Driving while impaired by alcohol is incredibly dangerous and can be deadly. Alcohol can also be extremely addictive and cause major health problems to frequent users. Drinking alcohol is common but can be incredibly dangerous when done irresponsibly.

Expenditures on alcohol and alcohol consumption by income

Alcohol abuse, alcoholism, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) kill over 3 million people each year, accounting for up to 6% of global deaths. Additionally, people who begin drinking before age 15 are 5x more likely to develop alcohol use disorder than those who waited until age 21 to start. Binge drinking can cause health problems, vehicle accidents, alcohol poisoning, other preventable issues, and even deaths.

Interventions for alcohol use disorders range from brief counseling sessions to intensive inpatient programs. One of the strongest predictors of developing an alcohol use disorder is having a close relative with alcoholism. Many people enjoy alcoholic beverages responsibly, but millions more face profound challenges due to overconsumption or dependence. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that can occur in people whose mothers drank alcohol while pregnant. Men are more likely to drink alcohol, become addicted to alcohol, binge drink, drink more often, and die of alcohol-related causes than women.

Underage drinkers are slightly less common among alcohol-related deaths in Washington. Virginia has fewer alcohol-related deaths per capita than most other states. Utah has the second-highest rate of female alcohol-related deaths and has the highest percentage of deaths due to acute causes. Statistics indicate Ohio’s drinking habits are on par with national averages. New York has the third-lowest number of alcohol-related deaths per capita among all U.S. states.

Global consumption of spirits

At the upper end of the scale, alcohol intake across Europe is higher. So, a value of 6 liters of pure alcohol per person per year is equivalent to 50 liters of wine. Wine contains around 12% pure alcohol per volume1 so that one liter of wine contains 0.12 liters of pure alcohol.

Understanding the scope and nuances of alcohol Alcohol stats abuse is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies, guiding treatment efforts, and informing public health policies. Only about 7.2% of people who had alcohol use disorder in the past year received treatment in the past year. Of the four ways that people drink excessively, binge drinking is the most common. In the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and many European countries, alcohol is responsible for around a third of all traffic deaths. The map shows DALYs per 100,000 people, which result from alcohol use disorders.