High alcohol intake linked to climate

A new study suggests people living in cold climates with less sunlight are more likely to drink heavily.

The US research establishes a link between average temperature and hours of sunlight and alcohol consumption.

Examining data gathered from 193 countries, the group found evidence that climate contributed to a higher incidence of binge drinking and liver disease.

Senior author Ramon Bataller, associate director of the Pittsburgh Liver Research Centre, said: “This is the first study that systematically demonstrates that worldwide and in America, in colder areas and areas with less sun, you have more drinking and more alcoholic cirrhosis.”

Alcohol is a vasodilator, relaxing blood vessels and increasing the flow of warm blood to the skin.

Drinking also is linked to depression, which tends to be more prevalent when sunlight is scarce.

The study, published online in Hepatology, used data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organisation.

Evidence of the climate link comes as the WHO presents new data on alcohol consumption in Europe at a summit in Edinburgh.

It says levels remain high and that almost half of the adult male population risk health and social problems due to drinking patterns.