In terms of total years of life lost to premature mortality and disability,
alcohol’s net effect is is negative everywhere. The burden of social
problems from drinking is mostly unmeasured, but qualitative evidence
suggests it is also large in many parts of the developing world.
• Although alcohol’s potential protective effect against cardiovascular
disease (CVD) has drawn much attention, alcohol’s net effect on heart
disease is negative in the world, because of both patterns of drinking
and nutrition and lifestyle. In developing countries it is negative also
because the prevalence of CHD is low and the main causes of death
are different.