India witnesses alarming growth in alcohol consumption

India's annual alcohol intake increased by 38 per cent between 2010 and 2017 from 4.3 to 5.9 litres per adult per year, according to a study published by the Lancet.

The report by the Lancet also notes that between 2010 and 2017, consumption increased slightly in the US (9.3 - 9.8 litres) and in China (7.1 - 7.4 litres).

The report states that the total volume of alcohol consumed globally per year has risen by 70 per cent since 1990 from 20,999 million litres in 1990 to 35,676 million litres in 2017.

Globally, alcohol consumption is set to increase from 5.9 litres pure alcohol a year per adult in 1990 to 7.6 litres in 2030.

The report estimated that by the year 2030, 50 per cent of all adults will drink alcohol, and almost a quarter (23 per cent) will binge drink at least once a month.

The World Health Organization (WHO)'s aim of reducing the harmful use of alcohol by 10 per cent by 2025 will not be reached globally as per the findings of the report.

In 2017, the lowest alcohol intakes were in North African and Middle Eastern countries (typically less than one litre per adult per year), while the highest intakes were in Central and Eastern European countries (in some cases more than 12 litres per adult per year).

At the country-level, Moldova had the highest alcohol intake (15 litres per adult per year), and Kuwait had the lowest (0.005 litres per person per year).

Globally, the prevalence of lifetime abstinence (teatotalers) decreased from 46 per cent in 1990 to 43 per cent in 2017, while the prevalence of current drinking (drank alcohol at least once a year) increased from 45 per cent in 1990 to 47 per cent in 2017.