Arielle Cruz
Alcoholism, or alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a chronic medical condition characterised by alcohol abuse and dependency. While the US has a high rate of alcoholism, ranking 5th in the world, it is only 25th on the list of countries with the highest alcohol consumption per capita. This discrepancy can be attributed to various factors, including cultural patterns of drinking, drink sizes and strengths, and methods of measuring alcohol consumption. International comparisons of alcohol consumption provide valuable insights into the rates of abstinence, drinking frequencies, and mean consumption among adults and youths. The US reports an average alcohol consumption of 8.7 to 9.9 litres of pure alcohol per capita annually, equivalent to approximately 29 to 33 handles of vodka per person per year. In comparison, countries like Belarus and Russia have higher per-capita alcohol consumption rates, with Belarus reporting 14.4 litres per year and Russia averaging almost 11.5 litres. These comparisons highlight the complex relationship between alcohol consumption and alcoholism, underscoring the need for further research and effective strategies to address alcohol-related harm.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Alcohol consumption in the US since 1850 | 8-9 liters per person per year |
| Alcohol consumption in the US in 2020 | 9.9 liters per person per year |
| Alcohol consumption in the US in 2021 | 8.7 liters per person per year |
| Worldwide alcohol consumption in 2019 | 5.5 liters per person per year |
| Alcohol consumption in France in 2010 | 95% of adults |
| Alcohol consumption in the Middle East and North Africa | 5-10% of adults |
| Alcohol consumption in Australia, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe | High |
| Alcohol consumption in India, Vietnam, and China | Increasing |
| Alcohol consumption in Russia | 11.5 liters per person per year |
| Alcohol consumption in Belarus | 14.4 liters per person per year |
| Alcohol consumption in Slovakia, Luxembourg, and Ireland | 11.4 liters per person per year |
| Global deaths due to alcohol abuse | 3 million per year |
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What You'll Learn
Alcohol consumption rates
The World Health Organization (WHO) publishes The Global Status Report on Alcohol, which provides data on alcohol consumption patterns and rates in different countries. The most recent report, published in 2024, used data from 2019 and found that worldwide consumption was 5.5 litres of pure alcohol per person aged 15 or older. This is a slight decrease from 5.7 litres in 2010.
Country-specific data from the WHO report shows that the United States reported an average alcohol consumption of 8.7 litres per capita yearly, equivalent to 29 handles of vodka per person. This places the US 35th on the list of countries with the highest alcohol consumption per capita in 2019. However, the US ranks 5th on the list of countries with the highest rates of alcoholism. This discrepancy highlights that high alcoholism rates are not always correlated with overall alcohol consumption.
Other countries with notable alcohol consumption rates include Belarus, which had the highest consumption rate of 14.4 litres per capita per year, followed by Russia with an average of 11.5 litres. France also stands out, with a recorded alcohol consumption rate of close to 95% of grown-up individuals in 2010. On the other hand, regions like the Middle East and North Africa generally have lower alcohol consumption, with typically 5-10% of adults consuming alcohol in the previous year.
It is worth noting that international comparisons of alcohol consumption can be challenging due to differences in drinking cultures, drink sizes and strengths, and measurement methods. Researchers often use multiple approaches, such as recent-recall, graduated-frequency, and per capita consumption data, to compare consumption patterns across countries.
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Alcohol-related deaths
Alcohol is a leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Alcohol-related emergencies and deaths are a significant issue in the country, with an estimated 178,000 deaths attributable to excessive alcohol use annually (approximately 120,000 male deaths and 59,000 female deaths). The rate of alcohol-related emergency department visits increased by 47% between 2006 and 2014, translating to an average annual increase of 210,000 visits.
Between 2015 and 2019, the leading causes of alcohol-attributable deaths in the US due to chronic conditions were liver diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancers of various types, and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities accounted for 13,524 deaths (32% of overall driving fatalities) in 2022, and AUD is the second most common mental disorder among people who die by suicide, involved in about one in four deaths.
The US reported an average alcohol consumption of 8.7 litres per capita yearly, which is equivalent to about 29 handles of vodka per person per year. This is lower than the consumption in Belarus, which is 14.6 litres per capita, and higher than the consumption in some Western European countries, which is approximately 12 to 14 litres.
While the US has a significant number of alcohol-related deaths, the highest levels of alcohol-related deaths per 100,000 persons are observed in the WHO European and African Regions, with 52.9 and 52.2 deaths per 100,000 people, respectively. Alcohol consumption is a global burden, causing almost 2.8 million early deaths annually worldwide, with an estimated 3 million deaths each year due to alcohol abuse.
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Alcohol use disorder
- Finding that drinking, or being sick from drinking, often interferes with taking care of home or family.
- Giving up or cutting back on important activities in order to drink.
- Getting into dangerous situations while or after drinking.
- Continuing to drink despite it causing depression or other negative mood states.
- Drinking more, or over a longer period than intended.
- Experiencing a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down on drinking.
- Spending a lot of time drinking or recovering from drinking.
- Experiencing social, work, or recreational problems due to drinking.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are over three million deaths each year due to alcohol abuse. It was the seventh leading risk factor for death in 2021 and has become a global burden. The United States ranks 25th in terms of average alcohol intake per capita, with Americans consuming an average of 8.7 litres of pure alcohol per person yearly. This is equivalent to about 29 handles of vodka per person per year. However, the US ranks 5th in terms of alcoholism rates, indicating that alcohol consumption per capita is not always correlated with alcoholism rates.
In terms of international comparisons, Russia has a reputation for heavy vodka consumption, with an average intake of 11.5 litres of alcohol per person per year. Belarus, a small landlocked country in Europe, has the highest per capita consumption of alcohol, with an average of 14.4 litres per person per year. Slovakia, Luxembourg, and Ireland also have high consumption rates, averaging 11.4 litres per person per year. On the other hand, countries in North Africa and the Middle East tend to have lower alcohol consumption rates, with typically five to ten per cent of adults consuming alcohol in the previous year. France has the highest share of adult individuals who consume alcoholic drinks in Western Europe, with recorded alcohol consumption in 2010 of close to 95% of adults.
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Alcohol abstinence
Alcohol consumption has been tracked since 1890 in a number of countries. The United States, for example, has data on alcohol consumption since 1850. Over this long time period, per capita drinking quantities have been relatively constant, averaging around 8 to 9 litres per year. There was a ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States from 1920 to 1933, known as the 'National Alcohol Prohibition'.
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) refers to the drinking of alcohol that causes mental and physical health problems. Alcohol dependence is included in the definition of AUD and is defined in the WHO's International Classification of Diseases. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are often denied by those who struggle with it. They underestimate their ability to control their cravings or quit and trivialise their consumption because they can still carry out their daily responsibilities.
- Better skin: Abstinence from alcohol restores skin elasticity.
- Improved sleep: Alcohol affects the sleep-wake cycle and makes it harder to fall and stay asleep.
- Healthier weight: Alcohol interferes with metabolism and is filled with sugars and empty calories.
- Better mental health: Abstaining from alcohol can allow for more focused mental health treatment.
- Improved immunity: Alcohol impedes white blood cell production, making it harder to fight viruses and bacteria.
- Enhanced nutrition: Alcohol interferes with digestion, storage, utilisation, and excretion of nutrients, and many heavy drinkers are malnourished.
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Drinking cultures
One notable example of a distinct drinking culture is France, which has the highest share of adult individuals who consume alcoholic drinks in Western Europe. In 2010, recorded alcohol consumption in France was close to 95% of adults. In contrast, the Middle East and North Africa have much lower rates of alcohol consumption, with typically 5-10% of adults drinking in the previous year.
Another factor influencing drinking culture is the physical availability of alcohol. For instance, Belarus has a high per-capita alcohol consumption rate, and the drinking patterns include underage drinking for those under 18. The United States, meanwhile, has a relatively constant per-capita drinking quantity, averaging around 8 to 9 litres per year since the mid-19th century. However, there was a ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the US from 1920 to 1933, which may have temporarily reduced consumption.
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Frequently asked questions
The US ranks 25th in the world for average alcohol intake per person per year, with 8.7 litres. This is less than the average intake in countries like Russia, Slovakia, Luxembourg, and Ireland, which all consume an average of 11.4 litres or more per year. However, it's important to note that these numbers may not include unrecorded consumption, such as homebrew or smuggled alcohol.
The US is 5th in the world for alcoholism rates, despite being lower on the list for alcohol consumption per capita. This suggests that while Americans may drink less on average than some other countries, a higher proportion of the population may be affected by alcoholism or alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Yes, alcohol consumption varies by state within the US. However, on a global level, North America as a region has a higher prevalence of drinking compared to the Middle East and North Africa, where alcohol consumption and availability are generally lower.
