also increased by more than 25% over the years 1990–2016, driven primarily by increased consumption in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia, among both men and women. Globally, alcohol use exposure has increased by 15·2% (8·7–22·6) over that time frame among men and decreased by 3·2% (–9·1 to 3·1) among women. However, the largest increases in exposure have been in countries in the low-middle quintile of SDI. Globally, alcohol use is the leading risk factor in DALYS between the ages of 15 years and 49 years in 2016. However, unlike tobacco or drugs, governments have been discouraged from efforts to limit alcohol's availability by trade agreements and disputes. Given alcohol's health burden within these age groups, an increased focus on alcohol control policies is needed to effectively address this risk factor.
