Spaces

The impact
of the
weather
We now have new evidence that the weather and
in particular the temperature and amount of
sunlight that we are exposed to has a strong
influence on how much alcohol we consume.
Furthermore this weather related alcohol
consumption is directly linked to our chances of
developing the most dangerous form of liver
disease, cirrhosis which can ultimately end in liver
failure and death. Recently, a study was made
looking at multiple countries around the world and
the US, comparing average annual sunshine hours
and average temperature with overall alcohol
consumption, rates of heavy drinkers and rates of
liver cirrhosis attributable to alcohol.
The findings were impressive.
There is a direct relationship
between reduced sunshine, cold
weather and alcohol consumption,
heavy drinking and alcoholic
cirrhosis. Essentially as the
weather gets colder and sunlight
hours go down you are more likely
to drink alcohol, and drink it in a
harmful way and go on to develop
liver disease.
"There is a direct
relationship between
reduced sunshine,
cold weather and
alcohol consumption"
But bad weather while being an
important criteria in being
depressed isn’t the only reason
people drink more. A bartender we
have interviewed for example told
us that they had many more people
during sunny and hot days
because people are thirsty. And
also because they are often in
holidays and can therefore drink as
much as they want without
worrying too much about going to
work the day after.
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