[Alcohol and public health in Latin America: how to prevent a health disaster?].

Alcohol consumption is a public health problem in Latin America, being responsible for thousands of annual deaths and millions of healthy life years lost to acute and chronic conditions caused by alcohol. Consumption is higher and more prevalent among men, but women and adolescent girls are increasing their consumption more rapidly than men and adolescent boys. Beer is the alcoholic beverage most consumed, followed by distilled spirits; however, there are countries differences as some countries drink mostly wine. The industry which produces, distributes and sells alcoholic beverages is powerful, mostly globalized and with great political influence, so the current situation favors commercial interests at the expense of public health. Public policies in Latin America are insufficient to respond to the situation at national level, with little o no regulatory control of the availability of alcoholic beverages, prices and taxation policies or government control of marketing and promotion. There is limited research which can inform policy actions. Gaps in prevention and treatment of alcohol consumption and related problems are discussed as well as some perspectives for the future.