The study, published in The Lancet, found that males between the ages of 15 and 39 were consuming the most unsafe levels of alcohol. At least 59.1% of individuals between 15 and 39 years of age were consuming unsafe levels of alcohol and 76.9% of those individuals were male. It was also the leading risk factor for mortality among males aged 15-49 years of age.
The disability-adjusted life year (DALY) is a measure of overall disease burden or a person’s shortened lifespan. The researchers found five alcohol-attributable outcomes that accounted for a person’s DALY, including ischaemic heart disease, ischaemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, type 2 diabetes, and tuberculosis.
However, for those aged younger than 40 years of age, the leading cause of death was injuries, not diseases. For those 15 to 39 years of age, injuries accounted for all alcohol-related DALYS: transport injuries made up 25.9% of alcohol-related DALYs among males and 12.7% among females, while self-harm made up 11.7% of alcohol-related DALYs among male and 12.7% DALYs among females.
Interpersonal violence also comprised 12.4% of DALYs among males and just 6.7% of DALYs among females.
The study, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said that while the relationship between moderate alcohol use and health is “complex,” with some studies arguing that small alcohol consumption could be beneficial to one’s health, there were no health benefits to consuming alcohol for any persons aged 15 to 39. The study’s findings suggest that “existing low consumption thresholds [of alcohol] are too high for younger populations in all regions.”
"A win would be if people understand the risks they are taking with their behavior, leading to a culture that promotes moderation in alcohol consumption," said Dana Bryazka, a researcher at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine.
Bryazka adds that those aged 40 and under in the U.S. are consuming the most harmful amounts of alcohol and are only outranked by Australia and some countries in Western Europe.
“While it may not be realistic to think young adults will abstain from drinking, we do think it’s important to communicate the latest evidence so that everyone can make informed decisions about their health,” said Gakidou, University of Washington professor of health metrics sciences at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
However, the researchers had some brighter news for those aged 40 and up. Older individuals have the green light to consume small amounts of alcohol, such as one to two 3.4-ounce glasses of red wine a day could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes.