Alcohol-Related Health Disorders: A Narrative Review

There is a theory that light drinking is good for health and can extend lifespan compared to those who do not drink. However, a 2018 WHO report showed that, when considering the burden of disease—which includes not only deaths but also general health impairments—zero alcohol consumption is the safest option, and that the burden of disease increases as alcohol consumption rises. The theory that light or moderate drinking is good for health is increasingly being refuted. Alcohol consumption is the cause of a wide range of diseases, including liver damage, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, malignancies, and sarcopenia. From a health economics perspective, alcohol consumption, which increases the risk of lifestyle-related diseases, also affects labor productivity. It is estimated that there are more than 10 million habitual drinkers in Japan whose drinking habits increase their risk of lifestyle-related diseases, and more than 1 million people with alcohol use disorder (scoring 20 or higher on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test). However, the reality is that only about 50,000 Japanese people with alcohol use disorder actually receive treatment. This indicates that interventions for alcohol dependence in Japan are inadequate. This narrative review paper overviews recent topics of alcohol-related health disorders.