Picture a silent epidemic claiming a life every ten seconds—a stark reality underscored by the 2.6 million lives lost globally to alcohol in 2019.
Key Takeaways
- In 2019, alcohol consumption was responsible for 2.6 million deaths worldwide, accounting for 4.7% of all deaths among people aged 15 years and older.
- Globally, 401,000 deaths from alcohol-attributable cancers occurred in 2019, representing 13.2% of alcohol-related deaths.
- In 2019, 1.6 million global deaths were due to alcohol-related cardiovascular diseases, making up 62% of alcohol-attributable cardiovascular deaths.
- In 2021, CDC reported 178,177 alcohol-induced deaths in the US, a 29.3% increase from 2016.
- US alcohol-induced death rate rose to 52.9 per 100,000 in 2021.
- In 2020, 99,017 alcohol-induced deaths occurred in the US.
- In US, men have 2.3 times higher alcohol death rate than women in 2021.
- Ages 35-44 had the highest US alcohol death rate of 82.3 per 100,000 in 2021.
- American Indian/Alaska Native people had 119.2 alcohol-induced deaths per 100,000 in 2021.
- Liver disease caused 49,367 US alcohol-induced deaths in 2021.
- Alcohol-impaired driving resulted in 10,142 US deaths in 2019.
- Mental and behavioral disorders due to alcohol: 19,463 US deaths in 2021.
- US alcohol liver deaths among women up 80% 2016-2021.
- US overall alcohol-induced deaths up 29.3% from 2016-2021.
- Alcohol death rate in US increased 25.5% 2019-2020.
Alcohol caused millions of preventable global deaths in 2019, with rising rates in the US.
Cause-Specific Deaths
- Liver disease caused 49,367 US alcohol-induced deaths in 2021.
- Alcohol-impaired driving resulted in 10,142 US deaths in 2019.
- Mental and behavioral disorders due to alcohol: 19,463 US deaths in 2021.
- Alcohol poisoning deaths in US totaled 2,200 in 2021.
- Globally, liver cirrhosis from alcohol killed 500,000 in 2019.
- US alcohol-related liver disease deaths rose 27.8% 2019-2020.
- Cardiovascular diseases: 1.6 million global alcohol deaths in 2019.
- Alcohol-attributable cancers: 401,000 global deaths in 2019.
- US alcohol overdose deaths: 17,020 in 2020.
- Injuries from alcohol: 724,000 global deaths in 2019.
- Alcoholic cardiomyopathy: 4,571 US deaths in 2021.
- Alcohol use disorder deaths: 15,000+ annually in US.
- Pancreatitis from alcohol: 2,500 US deaths yearly.
- 31% of US alcohol deaths in 2021 were liver disease.
- Alcohol-linked traffic deaths: 13,384 in US 2021.
- Mental/behavioral alcohol disorders: 11% of US alcohol-induced deaths.
- Globally, 156,000 digestive disease alcohol deaths in 2019.
- US hypertensive diseases from alcohol: 3,974 deaths 2021.
- Alcohol poisoning peaks on weekends, 30% US deaths.
- 600,000 global infectious disease deaths from alcohol 2019.
- US alcohol neurodevelopmental deaths: 1,095 in 2021.
- Esophageal cancer: 189,700 global alcohol deaths 2019.
- Alcohol external causes: 40% of US injury deaths.
- Liver cancer alcohol deaths: 75,000 globally 2019.
- US alcohol gastritis deaths: 1,200 annually.
- Stroke from alcohol: 460,000 global deaths 2019.
- Alcohol suicide deaths: 20% of US suicides involve alcohol.
- US alcohol degeneration CNS deaths: 5,200 in 2021.
- Breast cancer alcohol deaths: 98,000 globally 2019.
- Alcohol 50% of US homicide victim blood alcohol positive.
- US alcohol mental disorders deaths rose 51% 1999-2017.
- Alcohol colorectal cancer deaths: 26,000 globally 2019.
Cause-Specific Deaths Interpretation
The numbers paint a grim portrait: alcohol carves a staggering, multi-faceted path of destruction, quietly devastating our livers, hijacking our minds, and leaving a trail of broken bodies from the bedroom to the roadside.
Demographics
- In US, men have 2.3 times higher alcohol death rate than women in 2021.
- Ages 35-44 had the highest US alcohol death rate of 82.3 per 100,000 in 2021.
- American Indian/Alaska Native people had 119.2 alcohol-induced deaths per 100,000 in 2021.
- US White non-Hispanics had 56.7 alcohol death rate per 100,000 in 2021.
- Females aged 25-34 saw 91% increase in US alcohol deaths 2020-2021.
- In US, 63% of alcohol-induced deaths in 2021 were males.
- Black non-Hispanic US alcohol death rate: 41.7 per 100,000 in 2021.
- Ages 45-54 US alcohol death rate: 69.6 per 100,000 in 2021.
- Hispanic US females had 15.2 alcohol death rate per 100,000 in 2021.
- Globally, 77% of alcohol deaths in 2019 were male.
- US males 35-44: 127.3 alcohol deaths per 100,000 in 2021.
- In US, alcohol deaths among 16-25 year olds rose 47.6% 2020-21.
- Asian/Pacific Islander US alcohol death rate: 12.8 per 100,000 in 2021.
- Females comprised 35% of US alcohol-induced deaths in 2021.
- US male alcohol death rate 75.9 per 100,000 vs female 29.4 in 2021.
- Ages 25-34 US females: 47.2 alcohol deaths per 100,000 in 2021.
- In rural US areas, alcohol death rates 32% higher than urban.
- Globally, highest alcohol death rates in 20-39 age group.
- US non-Hispanic White males: 74.4 alcohol death rate in 2021.
- 50% of US alcohol deaths occur ages 35-64.
- In US, Midwest had highest alcohol death rates among regions in 2020.
- Globally, men 15+ have 7x higher heavy episodic drinking leading to deaths.
- US females 35-44 alcohol death rate doubled 2016-2021.
- Ages 55-64 US alcohol death rate: 59.3 per 100,000 in 2021.
- Black males US: 65.2 alcohol deaths per 100,000 in 2021.
- In US, 25% of alcohol deaths among ages 65+ are poisoning.
- Hispanic males US: 37.1 alcohol death rate in 2021.
- Globally, alcohol deaths highest in European Region for women.
- US ages 16-25 males: 33.5 alcohol death rate in 2020-21 avg.
Demographics Interpretation
The statistics reveal a grim, lopsided toll where men, particularly in their prime working years, are dying from alcohol at a starkly higher rate, yet the alarming surge among younger women and the devastating burden on American Indian communities demand an equally urgent and tailored response.
Global Statistics
- In 2019, alcohol consumption was responsible for 2.6 million deaths worldwide, accounting for 4.7% of all deaths among people aged 15 years and older.
- Globally, 401,000 deaths from alcohol-attributable cancers occurred in 2019, representing 13.2% of alcohol-related deaths.
- In 2019, 1.6 million global deaths were due to alcohol-related cardiovascular diseases, making up 62% of alcohol-attributable cardiovascular deaths.
- Alcohol caused 724,000 deaths from injuries worldwide in 2019, including 298,000 from traffic crashes.
- In 2016, the WHO estimated 3 million alcohol-related deaths globally, or 5.3% of all deaths.
- Globally, men accounted for 2 million of the 3 million alcohol deaths in 2016, twice as many as women.
- Alcohol-attributable deaths peaked at 2.25 million in 2012 globally, per IHME data.
- In low-income countries, alcohol deaths represent 6.1% of total mortality for ages 15+.
- Worldwide, 156,000 alcohol deaths from digestive diseases occurred in 2019.
- In 2019, Eastern Europe had the highest alcohol death rate at 52.9 per 100,000.
- Globally, alcohol caused 207 million years of life lost (YLLs) in 2016.
- In 2019, 288,000 alcohol-related deaths among women occurred globally.
- Alcohol-attributable liver disease caused 500,000 deaths worldwide in 2019.
- In high-income countries, alcohol deaths were 4.5% of total deaths in 2016.
- Globally, 13% of alcohol deaths in 2019 were from cancers.
- Alcohol caused 2.4 million deaths in 2019 among ages 15-49 globally.
- In 2017, IHME reported 2.8 million alcohol deaths worldwide.
- Global alcohol death rate was 43 per 100,000 in 2019.
- In Africa, alcohol deaths numbered 189,000 in 2019.
- Worldwide, unrecorded alcohol caused 313,000 deaths in 2019.
- In 2019, alcohol led to 600,000 deaths from infectious diseases globally.
- Global male alcohol death rate was 69.6 per 100,000 in 2019.
- In 2016, 10% of global disease burden was alcohol-attributable.
- Alcohol deaths in Southeast Asia totaled 220,000 in 2019.
- Globally, 50% of alcohol deaths were from non-communicable diseases in 2016.
- In 2019, Americas had 268,000 alcohol deaths.
- Worldwide female alcohol death rate was 19 per 100,000 in 2019.
- Alcohol caused 98,000 deaths from intentional injuries globally in 2019.
- In Europe, alcohol deaths reached 423,000 in 2019.
Global Statistics Interpretation
The sobering truth is that while the world debates a drink's health merits, alcohol quietly dispatches a population the size of Chicago each year through a grim portfolio of cancers, crashes, and organ failure, with men, the young, and Eastern Europe paying a particularly steep price.
National Statistics
- In 2021, CDC reported 178,177 alcohol-induced deaths in the US, a 29.3% increase from 2016.
- US alcohol-induced death rate rose to 52.9 per 100,000 in 2021.
- In 2020, 99,017 alcohol-induced deaths occurred in the US.
- Alcohol caused over 140,000 deaths annually in the US, per CDC 2024 update.
- In 2020-2021, US alcohol deaths increased 47.6% among ages 16-25.
- NIAAA reports 178,000 alcohol-related deaths yearly in the US.
- US alcohol overdose deaths reached 17,000 in 2020.
- In 2019, 39.7% of US traffic fatalities involved alcohol.
- CDC estimates 4,000 annual alcohol deaths among US youth under 21.
- In 2021, 49,367 alcohol-induced liver disease deaths in US.
- US working-age adults (16-65) saw 1 in 8 deaths alcohol-related in 2020-21.
- Alcohol contributed to 13.5% of overdose deaths in US 2020.
- In 2017, 72,558 alcohol-attributable deaths in US.
- US men had 116,000 alcohol deaths in 2021 vs 62,000 women.
- Alcohol poisoning caused 2,200 US deaths in 2021.
- In 2020, New Mexico had highest alcohol death rate at 70.2 per 100,000.
- US alcohol death rate for ages 35-44 was 82.3 per 100,000 in 2021.
- 40% of US violent crime victims reported perpetrator alcohol use.
- In 2019, 10,142 alcohol-impaired driving deaths in US.
- Alcohol-attributable fraction of cirrhosis deaths in US is 46.4%.
- US saw 30% rise in alcohol deaths 2016-2019.
- In 2021, 20.9% increase in US alcohol-induced deaths from 2020.
- Alcohol caused 5,000 US youth deaths annually pre-pandemic.
- West Virginia had 50.2 alcohol deaths per 100,000 in 2020.
- In US, alcohol links to 88,000 deaths yearly including indirect.
- 2020 US alcohol death rate was 30.0 per 100,000 population.
- Alcohol-induced deaths among US AI/AN people: 119.2 per 100,000 in 2021.
- In 2021, US Black non-Hispanics had 41.7 alcohol death rate.
- In 2020, 43,579 alcohol-induced deaths among US males.
- Males aged 25-34 in US had 93.1 alcohol deaths per 100,000 in 2021.
- In US, 75% of alcohol poisoning deaths are ages 35-64.
- US alcohol deaths cost $249 billion annually in 2010.
- In 2019, US alcohol death rate for ages 16-25 was 23.6 per 100,000.
- Males 16-25 saw 29.2% alcohol death rise 2020-21.
- In US, alcohol is factor in 18% of emergency department visits.
- 2021 saw record 49% alcohol death increase for US females ages 16-25.
- In 2021, US Hispanic alcohol death rate was 23.1 per 100,000.
- Alcohol caused 16% of US homicides in recent years.
National Statistics Interpretation
While Americans may debate what’s in their beer, the CDC's grim tally makes it clear what's *in* their obituaries: alcohol-induced deaths have soberingly surged, painting a picture of a nation increasingly drinking itself to death.
Temporal Trends
- US alcohol liver deaths among women up 80% 2016-2021.
- US overall alcohol-induced deaths up 29.3% from 2016-2021.
- Alcohol death rate in US increased 25.5% 2019-2020.
- Global alcohol deaths decreased from 2.8M in 1990 to 2.6M in 2019.
- US youth 16-25 alcohol deaths up 47.6% 2020-2021.
- Alcohol liver disease deaths in US rose 50% 2002-2016.
- US alcohol poisoning deaths up 3x since 1999.
- From 2016-2019, US alcohol deaths increased 30%.
- Global age-standardized alcohol death rate fell 20% 1990-2019.
- US female alcohol deaths up 14.9% 2020-2021.
- Alcohol-attributable deaths in US up 51% for mental disorders 1999-2017.
- Pandemic saw 26% rise in US binge drinking leading to deaths.
- US alcohol death rate tripled for ages 25-34 women 1990s-2010s.
- Global alcohol consumption peaked 2017, deaths stable.
- US rural alcohol deaths increased 39% 2020-2021 vs urban 27%.
- From 2015-2019, US alcohol-induced deaths rose 36%.
- Alcohol death rates in US men up 25% 2016-2021.
- Global YLLs from alcohol down 15% 1990-2016.
- US AI/AN alcohol deaths up 15.5% 2020-2021.
- Alcohol-impaired driving deaths down 50% US 1982-2021.
- US ages 35-44 alcohol deaths up 33% 2020-2021.
- From 1999-2020, US alcohol-induced deaths more than doubled.
- Global alcohol deaths among women up 17% 2000-2016.
- US Black alcohol death rate up 40.8% 2020-2021.
- Alcohol liver deaths in US increased 30.5% 2018-2020.
- US Hispanic alcohol deaths rose 27.2% 2020-2021.
- Global alcohol death rate declined 37% in high-income countries 1990-2019.
- US weekend alcohol poisoning deaths stable but high at 30% share.
- From 2019-2021, US alcohol deaths up 50% in some states.
- Alcohol consumption deaths in US peaked during COVID lockdowns.
- US White non-Hispanic alcohol death rate up 27.7% 2020-2021.
- Global alcohol injury deaths down 10% 2010-2019.
Temporal Trends Interpretation
While the world was busy getting collectively more sober, America decided to throw a decades-long bender, with women and the young leading the charge straight into the ICU.