Geographic Distribution of Alcohol Use Among Chinese Adults — China, 2015

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS TOPIC? Alcohol use is attributed to more than 200 diseases and injury conditions. Recent conventional and genetic evidence is beginning to counter the benefit of moderate drinking. The prevalence of current alcohol use was 35.7% in 2007 among the Chinese population aged 18–69 years, but comparable estimations on a provincial-level has not been reported in China. WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT? The prevalence of current alcohol use in the preceding year was 41.3% among the Chinese population aged 18 years and above in 2015. The prevalence of current alcohol use and the average level of daily pure alcohol intake among drinkers showed clustered and diversified geographic distribution across provinces. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE? Given diversified demographics and geographic characteristics of the current alcohol drinking population, the alcohol control policies and intervention strategies should be adopted at a provincial level to reduce alcohol-related mortality and disability.