Latest Global Burden of Disease analysis suggests encouraging progress towards WHO's 2030 harmful use reduction target

A new international analysis has found that the age-standardized alcohol-attributable mortality rate has fallen by approximately 26% worldwide since 2010, the baseline established following the adoption of the UN’s Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol, adding to growing evidence that meaningful reductions in alcohol-related harm are achievable over time.¹

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Drawing on the latest data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation's (IHME) Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, a leading source of independent health data, the analysis by the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) also found that the age-standardized alcohol-attributable disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rate declined by approximately 23%, while high alcohol use exposure, measured using the GBD Summary Exposure Value (SEV), decreased by approximately 10% over the same period. With all three indicators moving in the same direction, IARD’s analysis points to a broad reduction in alcohol-related harm since the 2010 baseline adopted by United Nations Member States.

The findings also provide an important milestone in the context of global public health goals. As part of implementing the UN’s landmark Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol adopted in 2010, UN member states set a goal of reducing the harmful use of alcohol by 20% by 2030 from 2010 levels. With alcohol-attributable mortality down 26% since 2010, IARD’s analysis suggests that the UN Strategy is making significant progress towards meeting that goal.

“These findings are encouraging and show that meaningful reductions in alcohol-related harm are achievable,” said Julian Braithwaite, President and CEO of IARD. “But global averages mask significant differences between countries and regions, and continued progress cannot be taken for granted. Looking across mortality, disability and exposure together provides a stronger evidence base to help governments, healthcare providers and communities make more informed decisions, strengthen ongoing efforts and focus resources where they are most needed.”

IARD’s analysis of the GBD data does not attribute the global decline to any single cause. Rather, the findings are consistent with the cumulative effects of a range of factors, including changing patterns of alcohol use, improvements in healthcare, public health initiatives and broader social and economic development.²

The analysis by IARD uses estimates from the latest Global Burden of Disease study to examine changes in alcohol-attributable mortality, morbidity and exposure through 2024. While the Global Burden of Disease study and the World Health Organization use different methodologies and attribution models, their estimates are not directly comparable. Instead, IARD’s analysis using the latest GBD data provides a complementary perspective on trends in alcohol-attributable harm.³

About IARD

The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing harmful drinking. Supported by leading global beer, wine and spirits producers, IARD works with governments, civil society organizations and the private sector to support evidence-informed, whole-of-society approaches to reducing alcohol-related harm.

¹ Source: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
² Because the analysis uses age-standardized rates, the decline cannot be explained simply by changes in the size or age of the global population. Instead, it suggests a genuine reduction in alcohol-attributable rates over time, while recognizing that the factors driving progress are likely to differ between countries.
³ The Global Burden of Disease study applies its own analytical framework, integrating multiple epidemiological and demographic data sources to produce standardized estimates that facilitate comparisons across countries and over time. Because the WHO system uses different methodologies and attribution models, the estimates are not directly comparable. Rather, the report presents GBD findings as complementary evidence alongside WHO monitoring data.

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ashley.pearson@edelman.com

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