The popular notion that living in chillier areas leads to heavier drinking may actually be true, according to a new study in the journal Hepatology. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh compared datasets of drinking statistics from the World Health Organization and other sources to look for patterns in global alcohol consumption. They found that, both worldwide and in the U.S., people who see fewer hours of sunlight and live in areas that are cold (45 degrees Fahrenheit on average), like Colorado or New York, or temperate (55 degrees Fahrenheit on average), like Missouri or Virginia, consume more booze.
*Data for arid countries presented here excludes 24 Muslim majority countries where alcohol consumption is prohibited by religion and/or law. (Source: “Colder weather and fewer sunlight hours increase alcohol consumption and alcoholic cirrhosis worldwide,” Hepatology, 2018)
*Data for arid countries presented here excludes 24 Muslim majority countries where alcohol consumption is prohibited by religion and/or law. (Source: “Colder weather and fewer sunlight hours increase alcohol consumption and alcoholic cirrhosis worldwide,” Hepatology, 2018)
