Epidemic of alcoholic liver disease in young people in North East England

The number of hospital admissions for people in their early 30s with alcoholic liver disease has increased by more than 400% in the North East of England in 8 years– the national increase stands at 61%.

Research carried out by Balance, the North East Alcohol Office, reveals that North East hospitals recorded 189 hospital admissions for 30-34 year olds with the disease last year, compared to just 37 in 2002.

In total there were 778 admissions for 30-34 year olds with alcohol liver disease between 2002 and 2010, costing the NHS an estimated £1.8m. Disturbingly there were a further 482 admissions for under 30s, with some people admitted even being under the age of 20.

For all age groups, in the last 8 years there have been a total of 21,798 alcoholic liver disease admissions across the region at an estimated cost of £51.7m.

Dr Chris Record, a liver specialist at Newcastle University and Newcastle Hospitals, said: “Only a few years ago alcoholic liver disease was very unusual in this age group and unless our drinking habits change, the problem is only set to worsen. “The earlier the age at which children drink, and the more they drink, the greater the chance of developing serious liver disease in adult life. Many patients are now presenting with terminal liver disease in their late twenties and early thirties. Adults need to drink within the recommended limits and we need to discourage young people from drinking and perhaps even raise the legal age for alcohol consumption from below 5 to below 15. Unless we do something soon, liver specialists across the region are going to be dealing with more and more young people whose lives have been ruined by alcohol.”

Death rates linked to alcoholic liver disease have risen by over two-thirds (69%) in the last 30 years. The disease does not usually cause any symptoms until the liver has been extensively damaged but starts with fat deposits in the liver leading to inflammation (steatohepatitis), fibrosis (scar tissue) and ultimately liver failure from Cirrhosis. Alcohol also causes death from high blood pressure (hypertension) heart disease, stroke, pancreatic disease and cancer and, by directly damaging the brain, frequently causes dementia at an early age.

Colin Shevills, Director at Balance, commented “We have created a society where alcohol plays too central a role in our lives. This needs to change. We are currently running a campaign to protect children and young people from exposure to alcohol through advertising, which encourages them to drink earlier and to consume more.

“Our campaign has already received support from thousands of North Easterners and they have signed our petition at www.balancenortheast. co.uk to restrict alcohol advertising and stop the detrimental effect it is having on young people and their health, both now and in the future.”