Colder and darker climates associated with increased alcohol consumption

According to a new study published online in the newspaper, people living in colder and less sunny regions are more likely to consume more alcohol than their counterparts at milder temperatures. hepatology.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Gastroenterology have found that alcohol use tends to increase as temperatures and sunshine decrease. Climatic factors were also related to excessive alcohol consumption and the prevalence of alcoholic liver disease, one of the leading causes of death among patients with excessive alcohol consumption at long term.

"It's something everyone has been assuming for decades, but no one has demonstrated it scientifically. Why do people in Russia drink so much? Why in Wisconsin? Everyone assumes it's because it's cold, "said lead author Ramon Bataller, MD, Ph.D., head of the hepatology department at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).

"But we found no document linking climate, alcohol consumption and alcoholic cirrhosis. This is the first study that systematically demonstrates that all over the world and in America, in the colder and less sunny regions, there is more alcohol and alcoholic cirrhosis, "said Bataller, also a professor. of medicine at Pitt, and associate director of the Pittsburgh Liver Research Center.

Alcohol is a vasodilator, which means that it increases the flow of warm blood on the skin, which is packed with temperature sensors. This would bring warmth to those living in cold climates. Consumption of alcohol is also linked to depression, which tends to worsen when the sun is scarce and the air is cold.

Using data from the World Health Organization, the World Meteorological Organization, and other large public data sets, the research team established a clear negative correlation between climate factors (mean temperature and sunshine). and the consumption of alcohol.

Alcohol consumption was measured according to the total alcohol consumption per capita, the percentage of the population that drinks alcohol and the impact of excessive consumption of alcohol. 39; alcohol.

The researchers also found evidence that the climate contributed to a higher incidence of alcoholic liver disease. These trends were true both when comparing countries around the world and also between counties in the United States.

"It's important to point out the many confounders," said lead author Meritxell Ventura-Cots, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher at the Pittsburgh Liver Research Center. "We tried to control as much as possible. For example, we tried to control religion and its influence on drinking habits. "

Much of the desert Arab world refraining from consuming alcohol, it was important to confirm that the results would be valid even if one excluded those countries with Muslim majority. Similarly, in the United States, Utah has regulations restricting alcohol consumption, which must be taken into account.

While researching cirrhosis regimens, the team had to control the health factors that could worsen the effects of alcohol on the liver, such as viral hepatitis, l 39; obesity and smoking.

In addition to settling a secular debate, the new findings suggest that policy initiatives aimed at reducing the burden of alcoholism and alcoholic liver disease should target geographic areas where alcohol is more likely to problematic.

Source: University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Schools

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