Cases of alcohol-related liver disease will increase dramatically in the next two decades unless drastic steps are taken to curb the rising rate of high-risk drinking in the U.S., predicted an analysis in The Lancet Public Health. High-risk drinking is usually defined as exceeding four drinks a day for women, or five a day for men, at least once a week on average over the previous year.
The researchers predicted that nearly 1 million people will die from alcohol-related liver disease (cirrhosis or liver cancer) between 2019 and 2040 if high-risk drinking rates continue on their current trajectory; but steps to curb problematic drinking could reduce that number by 35,000 to 300,000, depending on the intensity and effectiveness of the interventions.
A standard drink is 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 11⁄2 ounces of 80-proof liquor, which all contain about 14 grams of alcohol.
