NEW international data have shown that alcohol-related liver disease continues to place a substantial burden on health systems, even in regions where overall alcohol consumption has declined in recent years.
Alcohol Remains a Leading Cause of Liver Mortality
Alcohol-related liver disease is one of the leading causes of cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. Although population-level alcohol consumption has stabilised or decreased in some countries, liver-related harm linked to alcohol has not fallen at the same rate.
The latest analysis assessed trends in alcohol use, liver-related hospitalisations, and mortality, highlighting a persistent gap between consumption patterns and liver disease outcomes.
Disproportionate Impact of Harmful Drinking Patterns
Researchers found that a relatively small proportion of the population accounts for a large share of alcohol-related liver disease. Heavy and sustained drinking patterns were strongly associated with advanced liver injury, while intermittent reductions in consumption did not appear to reverse established disease.
The data suggested that even modest increases in alcohol intake among people with existing metabolic risk factors can accelerate progression to cirrhosis.
Interaction with Metabolic Liver Disease
The report also highlighted growing overlap between alcohol-related liver disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Individuals with obesity, insulin resistance, or Type 2 diabetes were found to be particularly vulnerable to alcohol-related liver injury, even at lower levels of alcohol consumption.
This interaction may partly explain why liver-related mortality remains high despite improvements in alcohol awareness and policy in some regions.
Implications for Hepatology Practice
Clinicians were encouraged to routinely assess alcohol intake in patients with any form of chronic liver disease and to recognise that no level of alcohol consumption is without risk once liver injury is established. Early identification of harmful drinking patterns, combined with behavioural and psychosocial support, was highlighted as essential to preventing progression.
The findings also supported the integration of alcohol assessment into broader liver disease pathways, rather than treating alcohol-related liver disease as a distinct condition.
Public Health Considerations
The authors noted that population-level interventions, including pricing policies, reduced availability, and targeted support services, remain critical components of liver disease prevention. However, they emphasised that clinical services must also adapt to the changing profile of liver disease, where alcohol and metabolic factors increasingly coexist.
Further research is needed to evaluate which combinations of public health and clinical interventions are most effective in reducing alcohol-related liver mortality.
Reference
WHO. Alcohol consumption and liver disease outcomes. 2026.
Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/alcohol. Last accessed: 19 January 2026.
