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Alcohol contributes to 2.5 million deaths worldwide a year, making it the number one international killer for 2011, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).  There is also a growing concern over the number of alcohol-related injuries such as car accidents, burns, falls and poisonings, as well as other social and financial tolls such violence, disease, child neglect and job absenteeism.

“Substance abuse disorders profoundly affect our society,” said Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). In economic terms, alcohol abuse disorders costs the U.S. approximately half a trillion dollars a year. But as Dr. Volkow said, “[Alcohol abuse] is much more insidious, eroding the foundation of human relationships and the established social contract.” (Medical News Today)

A new federal study in the U.S. found that parents are giving their children alcoholic beverages at a much higher rate than most people realize. According to a report from SAMHSA, in the past month alone 200,000 kids were given alcohol by a parent or other adult family member. This is especially dangerous with studies confirming that drinking as a teenager is a potential gateway to alcohol problems in adulthood. In fact, studies show that people who begin drinking before the age of fifteen are six times more likely than those who start at twenty-one to develop an alcohol problem. Parents need to be aware that providing alcohol to children can expose them to an increased risk for alcohol abuse.

The key finding in a recent study regarding the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index (RAPI), which is widely used to assess adolescent drinking-related problems, found that the more drinking-related problems experienced by an adolescent at the age of eighteen, the greater the likelihood of alcoholism being diagnosed at the age of twenty-five.

Midlife alcohol consumption (not just alcoholism) is related to the risk of dementia assessed as much as 20 years later, according to a study reported in the December 2010 issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.  In particular, individuals who consume large amounts of alcohol are at a greater risk for cognitive impairment later on in life.

Not only was total alcohol consumption analyzed but also drinking patterns. The findings suggest that drinking large amounts at a single occasion, i.e. binge drinking, at least once a month was an independent factor that doubled the risk of cognitive impairment regardless of whether total alcohol consumption was controlled. The same was found for heavy drinking that resulted in passing out. Therefore, the study reports that not only is the amount of alcohol consumed significant in affecting the risks for cognitive impairment, but also the patterns by which alcohol is consumed.

The findings of the study are important in that changes or early symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease (the most common form of dementia) can begin as early as two to three decades prior to clinical manifestation of the disease. This means that identifying early risk factors can be imperative for prevention and treatment.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have  found that those with a higher risk for alcoholism may also be at a higher risk for obesity. The study also found that this correlation between family history of alcoholism and obesity has become more pronounced over the years, which suggested that some of the risks are a function of the environment as well genetics.

The researchers analyzed data from two large alcoholism surveys from the past two decades inclusive of almost 80,000 participants. The study found that individuals with a family history of alcoholism had a greater risk for obesity. This proved even more true for women than men. In 2001 and 2002, women who had a family history of alcoholism were 49 percent more likely to be obese than those without alcoholism in their family history. The risk for obesity also seems to be growing. In the late 1970s in the U.S., 15 percent of the population was obese. By 2004 this percentage had nearly doubled (33 percent).

The research suggests that changes in the food we eat since the 70s and 80s may explain the connection between alcoholism and obesity. Today, many tend to consume higher calories and consist of a sugar, salt, fat combination that appeals to the reward center of the brain, the same brain areas that are effected by alcoholism. The greater availability of these foods may also contribute to the increase.

Alcohol abuse over-stimulates the reward center of the brain until it is unable to support itself with its own chemicals. This leads to anxiety, depression, and greater dependence on the substance. These high-caloric, hyper-palatable foods seem to stimulate the brain in the same way, leading to overconsumption and addiction. However, the researchers noted that not all alcoholics were obese or vice versa. One theory of explanation for obesity in individuals with a family history of alcoholism, is that many may avoid alcohol and turn to food instead, resulting in one addiction instead of another, because of the result the food has on their brain.

The researchers hope that their study will open up a dialogue among addiction therapists, treatment specialists, and those who study obesity. Understanding the correlation between alcoholism and obesity is important in determining methods of prevention and treatment and developing possible advancements in treatment.