India's alcohol death rates risen sharply, higher than China: WHO report

According to a new report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), India’s alcohol death rates have risen sharply and are higher than that of China.

The WHO report said that the number of alcohol-related deaths in India per 100,000 population is 38.5 (both sexes), as against China’s 16.1. More Indian males, 63.0, died due to alcohol consumption as compared to China’s 29.6. While in the case of Indian women, the figure is 13.5 as against China’s 3.3.

Trends in India

A Deccan Herald report said that the WHO report anticipated a significant jump in India’s per capita alcohol consumption in the next six years.

Other trends in alcoholic consumption in India in the WHO report revealed that men die of alcohol related deaths more than women and there is a habit of binge drinking among Indian teenagers in the age group of 15 to 19 years.

Notably, the study also revealed that that more than 31 per cent Indians are current drinkers, but alcohol consumption by the male population (40.9 per cent) is much higher than females (20.8 per cent).

2.6 million die globally 

The WHO report, 'Global status report on alcohol and health and treatment of substance use disorders', highlighted that 2.6 million people die every year globally due to alcohol consumption, accounting for 4.7 per cent of all deaths.

The highest levels of alcohol-related deaths per 100 000 persons are observed in the WHO European and African regions with 52.9 deaths and 52.2 deaths per 100 000 people, respectively, said the WHO media statement.

Further, commenting on the report, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director general warned in a statement that "substance use severely harms individual health, increasing the risk of chronic diseases, mental health conditions, and tragically resulting in millions of preventable deaths every year". Further, he added that it places a heavy burden on families and communities, increasing exposure to accidents, injuries, and violence.

The WHO statement pointed out that drinking alcohol is associated with risks of developing noncommunicable diseases such as liver diseases, heart diseases, and different types of cancers, as well as mental health and behavioural conditions such as depression, anxiety and alcohol use disorders.

Several cancers, including breast, liver, head and neck, oesophageal and colorectal cancers are attributed to alcohol consumption. In 2019, 4.4 per cent of cancers diagnosed globally and 401 000 cancer deaths were attributed to alcohol consumption.

Youngsters and alcohol

Globally, people of younger age (20–39 years) are disproportionately affected by alcohol consumption with the highest proportion, 13 per cent of alcohol-attributable deaths occurring within this age group in 2019, said the report.

The WHO report also zeroed in on the habit of binge drinking by Indian teenagers aged between 15-19 years. According to the report, 7.1 per cent of male youngsters indulged in heavy episodic drinking as against 5.2 per cent females. 

Per capita alcohol consumption

India’s per capita alcohol consumption in 2019 stood at 4.9 litres, which is estimated to increase to 6.7 litres by 2030. In comparison, the global per capita consumption stands at 5.5 litres with the European region topping the chart at 9.2 litres followed by the Americas  with 7.5 litres.

The report highlights that despite some reduction in the alcohol-related death rates since 2010, the overall number of deaths due to alcohol consumption remains unacceptably high and amounts to 2.6 million in 2019, with the highest numbers in the European Region and the African region.

The death rates due to alcohol consumption per litre of alcohol consumed are highest in low-income countries and lowest in high-income countries.