Citation

Sengupta S, Hoyle L. Br. Med. J. BMJ 2005; 330(7504): 1343-1344.

Affiliation

NICE - North East Regional Office, Durham, England, DH1 3YG, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bmj.330.7504.1343

PMID

15947377

PMCID

PMC558271

Abstract

Alcohol misuse continues to be associated with as many as 22,000 deaths each year in England, with cumulative economic, health, and social costs estimated at £20bn annually. While people in many other parts of Europe may have consumed a greater amount of alcohol in the past -- although varying definitions of categories of consumption hamper accurate cross national comparisons -- the situation in England is one of increasing concern. According to recent figures, 38% of men and 23% of women in England exceed recommended maximum levels for the heaviest drinking day of the week, and alcohol related illness mortality is on the rise. Drinking patterns vary between England's regions in a predictable manner that reflects persistent health inequalities, notably with the highest rates of binge drinking found in the north-east.