The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2020 reported that harmful amounts of alcohol consumption (more than the non-drinker equivalence) were predominantly observed in younger individuals aged 15–39 years (59.1%; 75.5% men; see Table 1) [1].
In Indian population, excessive alcohol consumption amongst the younger population was noted in 1.85% of the female population studied and 25.7% of the male population studied, which was higher than individuals aged 40 years and older [1].
Another study that was published recently in the journal, Neurology, demonstrated the hazards of excessive drinking in the young adults, viz, consumption of moderate-to-heavy amounts of alcohol is associated with a higher risk of stroke of the hemorrhagic type [2].
Clinical implication: According to the recent data, excessive drinking habit is highly prevalent in young adults, which is shown to increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke by 30% or more. This prominent hazard of heavy alcohol consumption in younger population must be addressed by spreading awareness about its risks and taking measures to reduce alcohol intake in younger population in order to prevent stroke and other health risks [1,2].
References
1. GBD 2020 Alcohol Collaborators. Population-level risks of alcohol consumption by amount, geography, age, sex, and year: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2020. Lancet. 2022;400(10347):185-235. Doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00847-9
2. Chung JW, Lee SR, Choi EK, et al. Cumulative alcohol consumption burden and the risk of stroke in young adults: A nationwide population-based study. Neurology. 2022:10.1212/WNL.0000000000201473. Doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000201473