Alcohol

Alcohol consumption and its damaging effects have increased sharply in the Health Board

area since the early 1990s. Alcohol problems are worse in Greater Glasgow and Clyde than

in the rest of Scotland, the UK or Western Europe. The area has the worst four Local

Authority areas in the UK for male deaths from alcohol and two of the four worst areas for

women.

Moderate consumption of alcohol can be an enjoyable part of a healthy life. But in Greater

Glasgow and Clyde, the problem is one of increasing excessive consumption that leads to

mental and physical illness, and premature death. There is also a strong association

between excessive alcohol intake and violent crime, lost working days, and

social-economic deprivation. Reducing excessive consumption of alcohol is therefore a

public health priority.

Excessive consumption of alcohol increases the risk of a range of dieases including

coronary heart diease, stroke, some cancers, as well as liver cirrhosis and psychiatric

disorders. The analyses reported in this chapter are restricted to illnesses that are directly

caused by alcohol because it is not possible to accurately estimate the contribution of

alcohol to other conditions using routinely available data. The full impacts of alcohol on

health are therefore much greater than reported here.

Alcohol consumption has increased in the United Kingdom over at least 25 years as it has

become more affordable. At the same time, the strengths of the two most popular

alcoholic drinks - table wine and beer - have increased.

Sixteen to 24 year olds drink most heavily compared with other adults.

In Scotland, amongst 13 year olds, 56 percent of boys and 59 percent of girls have drunk

at some point in their lives. Seven percent of 13 year olds and 18 percent of 15 year olds

reported having been drunk more than 10 times.