Alcohol is responsible for more deaths than overdoses from opioids and all other substances combined, yet less than 10% of people with alcohol use disorder receive treatment.
Since Amy Winehouse’s death in 2011, professionals have learned a great deal more about alcohol use disorder.
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Singer Amy Winehouse died from alcohol toxicity in 2011, the same year that the American Society of Addiction Medicine publicly recognized addiction as a brain disorder.
Many studies exaggerated the benefits of moderate drinking due to methodological flaws known as selection biases.
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It’s time to revisit the evidence for the health benefits of moderate drinking, and separate fact from wishful thinking. Can we confidently say, ‘Cheers to good health?’
Sachet alcoholic drinks on display.
Kofo Belo-Osagie
The sachet alcoholic drinks ban in Nigeria can curb youth alcohol consumption. But government must improve enforcement and awareness strategies for success.
Researchers are increasingly learning that early diet can shape taste preferences but that our taste buds can also be trained to prefer healthier foods.
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Alcohol use contributes to over 200 different diseases, injuries, and conditions. It is also a risk factor for gender-based violence and violent crime.
Certain factors can disrupt the gut microbiota. These include our diet, alcohol consumption, antibiotics and inflammatory bowel disease.
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Young people in high-income countries now drink much less than their counterparts 20 years ago. But the opposite is happening in developing countries. Why? Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast.
A hunter in France takes aim on 21 August 2021. The consumption of alcohol or drugs during hunting makes the practice dangerous even for hunters themselves.
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A recent French Senate report calling on a ban on alcohol use while hunting has prompted the wrath of the country’s hunting lobby. Do its arguments hold water?
Older people with COVID are at higher risk of a new Alzheimer’s diagnosis within a year of testing positive. Vaccination against viral infection remains one of several important preventative measures.
Researchers are working to tease apart how various alcohol types contribute to weight gain and disease risk.
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Research has been inconclusive on the degree to which drinking alcohol leads to the growth of harmful fat. But a new study suggests that beer and spirits are far bigger culprits than wine.
Prohibition did little to ease Americans’ love of liquor.
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Even after ‘Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence’ policies took effect in 2016, Queenslanders still drink more heavily on nights out. Reported levels of aggression are higher than in other states too.
There’s no direct evidence that taxing sugary drinks will lead to more consumption of alcohol.
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A recent study was reported as saying a sugar tax would have us drinking more alcohol. But the study didn’t establish this fact. The results were mixed with no evidence one thing caused another.
Hedonism and pleasure is what drives much binge drinking. So let’s provide people with alternative ways of having fun, but without the alcohol.
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There’s growing evidence the location and density of bottleshops influences the health and well-being of locals, particularly in disadvantaged areas.
Giving up alcohol for a month might help you feel better in the short term, but no-one knows if taking part in these campaigns promotes long-term healthy drinking habits.
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Many of us might be tempted to give up alcohol for a month as part of a highly publicised campaign, like Dry July. But how successful are these campaigns and how do you measure any long-term benefits?
Alcohol use is traditionally higher among men than women but new evidence suggests this is changing.
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Women are catching up to men in rates of alcohol consumption and this has important implications for how we think about our community response to harmful alcohol use.
A recent advert for South Africa’s Castle Lager.
Brandcouncil SA
Associate Professor in the SAMRC Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science - PRICELESS SA (Priority Cost Effective Lessons in Systems Strengthening South Africa), University of the Witwatersrand