Alcohol-related liver disease is increasing at more than twice the rate it did two decades ago, with women seeing the sharpest rise, according to a study published July 23 in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Researchers examined alcohol intake and liver health metrics among adults, identifying heavy drinkers as men consuming at least 30 grams and women consuming at least 20 grams of alcohol per day. The team then tracked the prevalence of liver damage and metabolic conditions over time, according to a report from NBC News covering the study.
Among heavy drinkers, the rate of significant liver damage rose from 2% from 1999 to 2004 to over 4% from 2013 to 2020. Alcohol-related deaths among women more than doubled in that period.
Researchers cite biological factors, increased alcohol use and rising obesity rates as key drivers of this surge, urging early screening since liver disease often presents without symptoms.
