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VODKA IS THE primary factor in the high and sharply fluctuating death rates among Russian men.
That’s according to a new study published today in The Lancet journal which asked 151,000 people how much vodka they drank, then followed them for up to a decade, during which 8,000 had died.
At present, one in four Russian men die before the age of 55. This is compared to a rate of 7 per cent of men in the UK with alcohol and tobacco use the main cause of the difference in premature mortality.
The study jointly carried out by the Russian Cancer Research Centre in Moscow, Oxford University and the WHO with co-author Professor Sir Richard Peto from Oxford saying that the changing availability of alcohol in Russia can be seen to have influenced premature death rates:
Russian death rates have fluctuated wildly over the past 30 years as alcohol restrictions and social stability varied under Presidents Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Putin, and the main thing driving these wild fluctuations in death was vodka. This has been shown in retrospective studies, and now we’ve confirmed it in a big, reliable prospective study.
A similar study carried out five years ago which looked back at causes of death over a period of time also found similar results.
Both studies found much higher risks of death in men who drank three or more bottles of vodka a week than in men who drank less than one bottle a week.
The excess mortality among heavy drinkers was mainly from alcohol poisoning, accidents, violence, suicide, and eight particular categories of disease.
Study leader Professor David Zaridze from the Russian Cancer Research Centre in Moscow says that moderate alcohol controls introduced in 2006 have shown how curbing hazardous drinking can help.
“People who drink spirits in hazardous ways greatly reduce their risk of premature death as soon as they stop,” he said.
The average life expectancy of a man in Russia is 64 years-of-age, ranking among the lowest 50 countries in the world, so researchers have cautioned that further controls are needed.
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Its factual stuff. Vodka kills. My uncle in east Russia was an alcoholic he drunk minimum 1 bottle a day. My aunt had horrible life, its not just that vodka kills its also ruins families…
For hundreds of years, many people in Russia have lived miserable lives. Their solace has been vodka, the true opiate of the masses. For hundreds of years, many people in Ireland lived miserable lives. Their solace has been poteen, whiskey, stout and now, gin, vodka, rum, wine, cocaine, amphetamines and heroin.
A bottle a day Pavel? Wow how long did he manage that for ?
Bottle of Vodka in Russian Supermarket for as little as 199 Rubels – about 4euro. Even cheaper on black market. However, I would argue it is a generational thing, and younger Russians don’t have the same attraction to daily drinking as older people. Jobs are plentiful, social mobility is on the increase and better health education. I still get shocked the high (massive) percentage of people who smoke – must be close to 50% of the population. The vast majority of this I suspect is concentrated in lower socio-economic class, as the risks are poorly explained. What Pavel says above is very true – whatever the impact on the alcoholic themselves, it is the family, kids and friends who often suffer a greater pain.
@ Jon : Very sad to see so many young women smoking, More than men.
In Russia , vodka drinks you!
Drank volka once a few yrs back. Missed 2 days of my life trying to recover…… 2-3 bottles a week. Their liver must be pickled!
Was in Moscow few years back and could not get over how a group of men at the bar had a large bottle each!!!! And drinking it like milk serious problem !
@ Micheal : Part of the problem is vodka is very cheap. You can buy a bottle in a supermarket for just over 100 Rubles. 1.5 Euro. That said there has been a major switchover to beer in the last five years or so, especially by younger people who consider it un cool to drink vodka. In addition to that they are much better educated as to its dangers. Beer ranges from anything between 1.50 Eur. in a small bar for 0.5 , and 9.50 Eur for a Guinness or Kilkenny in Moscow .
Mistake above.. In Tatarstan bottle of vodka 120 Rubels = 2.65 Eur. Still very cheap
Believe it or not but an awful lot of Irish people are drinking just as much vodka.
One of my friends aunties would easily do a large bottle per day!
Vodka you talking about?
It’s a woman? Good lord!
Better drink up, Putin. At 63 you’re already living on borrowed time.
Putin doesn’t Drink.
Typical.. The one c*nt you want to die from vodka doesn’t drink!! Booooo!
And this is something new? Come on .
Drink Water,more expensive but better for you
A 750ml bottle has approx 21 ‘pub’ 35ml measures. Even 1 bottle a week would be a lot, but 3 is slow suicide which too many people are doing
Really? I never would have believed it.
I’ll think about that when I’m hoovering a 2nd bag up my nose later!
Breaking news! Irish men drink too much Guinness!
Guinness for strength !!
Pa
There is quiet a difference between a pint of Guinness and a pint of Vodka.
Go home vodka, you’re drunk
All spirits are deadly for the body even in small amounts. I gave up drinking spirits when I was 22 years old due to some crazy incidents and 17 years on I still don’t miss them!!! :)
ffs let them at it.nobody forcing them .this is sad for the journal if this is news
Go way 55 is long enough to live
Ireland is no different
Well clearly it is because 1/4 of all Irish men aren’t dead by 55.
It’s their lives.. They have chosen this life. I’m sure it’s pretty miserable for them either way
Quickly, someone send Putin a bottle
Horrible drink dont know why any one drink this stuff
Stops the blood from freezing in the cold Russian winter
Alcohol doesn’t raise body temperature. All it does is make you feel warmer. Which is fine if you just want to feel a bit warmer, but useless to avoid hypothermia or any risk posed by low body temperature.
What constitutes news please tell me?
Irish men n women will drink anything that resembles alcohol and they will die also.
have your say