Alcohol-related deaths in France in 2015

Objective: This study updates the estimate of alcohol-attributable mortality in metropolitan France for 2015, the most recent year for which mortality data are available. Method: The method is based on the same approach proposed by Guérin et al. to estimate alcohol-attributable mortality in France in 2009. Using survey and sales data, we estimate the distribution of alcohol consumption in the population by sex, age, and level of consumption. For each cause of death whose risk is modified by alcohol consumption, risk functions are extracted from recent meta-analyses. By combining these risks with consumption prevalences, we can calculate the fractions of mortality attributable to alcohol for each cause. These fractions, multiplied by the corresponding numbers of recorded deaths, allow us to estimate the number of deaths attributable to alcohol. Results: In 2015, an estimated 41,000 deaths were attributable to alcohol, including 30,000 deaths among men and 11,000 deaths among women, representing 11% and 4%, respectively, of mortality among adults aged 15 and older. This includes 16,000 deaths from cancer, 9,900 from cardiovascular disease, 6,800 from digestive diseases, 5,400 from external causes (accidents or suicide), and more than 3,000 from other conditions (mental illnesses, behavioral disorders, etc.). The attributable fraction for all alcohol-related conditions accounts for up to 15% of deaths among those aged 35–64, compared to less than 8% for other age groups. Excluding external causes, just under 500 deaths (1% of alcohol-attributable deaths excluding external causes) are attributable to moderate consumption of between 7 and 18 grams of pure alcohol per day, and 90% of all deaths are linked to consumption exceeding 53 g/day. Conclusion: Although alcohol consumption has declined significantly in France since the late 1950s, it is estimated that 7% of deaths among those aged 15 and older are attributable to alcohol out of a total of 580,000 deaths in 2015. The health impact of alcohol consumption in France therefore remains considerable. These findings underscore the importance of public health policies aimed at reducing alcohol consumption in France.

Author(s): Bonaldi C, Hill C

Publishing year: 2019

Pages: 97-108

Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2019, n° 5-6, p. 97-108

In relation to

Our latest news

news

2026 “Sexual Behavior” Survey (ERAS) for men who have sex with men

news

Hervé Maisonneuve has been appointed scientific integrity officer for a...

Visuel illustratif

news

Public Health France 2026 Barometer: Launch of the Survey