More than 12% of Brits have alcohol use disorder

A global study has revealed that 12.1% of people in the UK are considered to have an alcohol use disorder, while Australians and US figures are much lower.

Around 43% of adults globally – equating to approximately 2.1 billion people – drink alcohol

The comprehensive report on global addictions, compiled by the University of Adelaide, revealed a higher percentage of Brits are likely to suffer from alcoholism in comparison with 7.8% in the US and 3.7% of Australians.

The Global Statistics on Addictive Behaviours: 2014 Status Report also showed that alcohol consumption results in approximately 257 disability-adjusted life years (DALY) lost per 100,000 population – a measure of the number of years lost to ill-health, disability or early death.

The research, which is the first of its kind to present global data in a single report, was published in the journal Addiction, and found that around 43% of adults globally – equating to approximately 2.1 billion people – drink alcohol.

The study’s lead author, Linda Gowing, an associate professor at the University of Adelaide, said alcohol and tobacco cause the most deaths around the world every year.

She told the Daily Mail: “The report found alcohol and tobacco are the most common addictions in most countries and they are also the most harmful.

“This data is highly valuable and can be used to guide policy-makers and researchers in planning responses to addictions world-wide.”