Many countries have scaled back their alcohol intake over the past few decades. But a study in the Lancet depicts the ascent of drinking in Asia, where developing countries have a surging taste for spirits, wine and other adult beverages. Meanwhile, people in France, Italy, Germany and the United States have eased up on booze since the 1970s.
The two trends are significant. In China, more than half of the population abstains from alcohol consumption (42 percent of men and 71 percent of women as of 2010, according to the World Health Organization). Meanwhile, China's per capita alcohol consumption — for people who drink — is more than 15 liters per year.
That's more than the amount seen in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, France and a horde of other countries. Only drinkers in Tajikistan and Russia drink more, per World Health Organization estimates.
The rise of drinking in countries such as China could be a cause for concern. Alcohol, which contributes to more than 300,000 deaths among men each year in the country, is considered the sixth-greatest risk factor for men by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. But a national crackdown on corruption in 2013 has put a dent in the sale of wine and spirits, which were reportedly popular choices for illegal gifts.
It's unclear how much of a difference the crackdown has made, but the impact is likely sizable. Global cognac sales dropped considerably in the first year of the new effort.
