Europe tops the charts for alcohol consumption. WHO calls for urgent action to curb the trend
WHODr Gauden Galea said the impacts were wide-ranging, including domestic violence, accidents and mental health problems. He called on countries to implement effective policies to reduce alcohol use.
How much alcohol do Europeans drink?
The numbers tell a sobering story: men in the region drink nearly four times more than women, and 470 million people drink alcohol according to the latest figures. Two in three adults drink alcohol, one in 10 suffer from an alcohol use disorder, and nearly six percent live with alcohol dependence. Yet only 12 of 53 countries have made progress in reducing alcohol consumption by 10 percent since 2010.
While the WHO European Region is on track to meet its alcohol targets, this is largely due to some large countries such as Russia, Turkey and Ukraine having drastically cut taxes and restricted access. In contrast, EU countries have seen no change in alcohol consumption for more than ten years, highlighting the need for increased action to address Sustainable development goals (Sustainable development goals).
“We are paying the price, alcohol is causing hundreds of thousands of cardiovascular diseases, injuries, cancers and cirrhosis in our region,” said Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges, Regional Advisor for Alcohol, Illicit Drugs and Prison Health.
Harmful effects of alcohol
The report warns that alcohol is the leading cause of death in Europe, causing nearly 800,000 deaths each year; 2,200 people die every day from alcohol-related causes, accounting for nearly nine percent of all deaths in the region.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease account for 90 percent of deaths and 85 percent of years of disability in the WHO European Region. Most alcohol-related deaths (more than 600,000 per year) are due to NCDs, half of which are due to heart disease. The report found that alcohol-related cancer rates are high in Europe due to high consumption and an ageing population.
This is made more confusing because few people know that alcohol is a major cancer risk. Despite being classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), many people are unaware that alcohol can cause cancer, the report said.
Not enough action to reduce drinking
Despite clear evidence of harm, many European countries have failed to implement WHO recommendations including: increasing alcohol taxes, restricting marketing and reducing availability.
Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have demonstrated that population control policies can reduce consumption, harm, and increase life expectancy.
“We have the tools and the evidence. We need the will. As the 2025 deadline for the UN High-Level Meeting approaches, we must act now and make changes to keep our populations healthy,” Dr Galea stressed.
WHO calls on countries to take immediate action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals on health and to curb commercial interests that promote alcohol use.
