Number of alcohol-related deaths skyrockets in US as ‘wine culture’ is blamed for dramatic increase in female fatalities
Experts have warned of a sharp rise in female mortality as the number of alcohol-related deaths in the US has skyrocketed in recent years.
In just 20 years, the number of deaths linked to bozenearly than doubled, with the largest increase occurring among drinkers aged 25 to 34.
A research published in The American Journal of Medicine found that cardiovascular illness, including heart attacks and strokes, was the leading cause of alcohol-related deaths.
The Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) found that the alcohol mortality rate increased from 10.7 per 100,000 to 21.6 per 100,000 between 1999 and 2020.
Researchers discovered that younger drinkers, especially women, were most at risk, using data from the Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) program of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
During the study period, the number of deaths among drinkers aged 25 to 34 quadrupled.
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Those between the ages of 55 and 64 had the highest incidence of alcohol-related mortality.
The greatest proportional increase was among female drinkers, despite the fact that men had the highest overall death rates.
Alcohol-related fatalities among women increased from 4.8 per 100,000 in 1999 to 12 in 2020, according to the study’s findings.
Women are especially vulnerable to alcohol-related health problems, according to experts.
According to Dr. Adam Scioli, chief medical officer of a treatment facility in Pennsylvania, “we’ve seen a significant increase in women – especially those between the ages of 20 and 55 – entering treatment in liver failure and on the list for liver transplant,” Fox News Digital said.
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“Because women have less alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity – an enzyme in the stomach and liver that helps break down alcohol – women are more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol on the liver, heart and brain,” he stated.
“Our study found significant gender differences in alcohol-related mortality,” said the study’s lead researcher, Panagiota ‘Yiota’ Kitsantas, Ph.D.
“While men had higher overall death rates, women experienced a larger relative increase, which may reflect changing social norms and the alcohol industry s increased targeting of women through marketing campaigns.”
She continued, “The hazards connected with alcohol use among women have increased along with its use.
“Possibly because of variations in body composition and metabolism, which result in higher blood alcohol concentrations, women seem to be more susceptible to the negative effects of alcohol.
“Moreover,mental health issueslike depression and anxiety, already more common in women, can be worsened by alcohol use.”
What is alcohol?
What you should know is this…
- Alcohol, also known by its chemical name ethanol, is a psychoactive drug
- It s the active ingredient in alcoholic drinks like beer, wine and distilled spirits
- Alcohol is believed to be one of the world s oldest and most commonly used recreational substances
- Its effects include mood lifting, decreased anxiety, increased sociability, sedation, and impairment of cognitive, memory, motor and sensory functions
- Short-term negative effects include dizziness, nausea and vomiting
- It can also be addictive to humans, and have damaging long-term health effects, including liver damage, brain damage and cancer
- Alcohol has been produced and consumed by humans for its psychoactive effects for almost 10,000 years
- Drinking is socially acceptable and legal in most countries
The Midwest experienced the largest increase in alcohol-related mortality throughout the study period, followed by the Northeast, West, and South, according to a regional breakdown of the data.
According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, men should limit their daily alcohol intake to two drinks, while women and those over 65 should limit their daily alcohol intake to one drink.
Senior medical advisor Dr. Ken Spielvogel of a Los Angeles treatment facility issued a warning about the dangers of increased alcohol use.
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Anything over the suggested drinking limits, he added, can have “dramatic harmful effects,” particularly when paired with other health hazards like obesity.
Given the numerous temptations to overindulge in alcohol during the holiday season, several states have launched programs to reduce excessive drinking.
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