High alcohol use in Telangana raises public health concerns

NFHS-6 data show that 43.9 per cent of men aged 15 and above in Telangana report consuming alcohol, compared with 18.9 per cent nationally. Rural areas record higher prevalence, highlighting the need for targeted public health interventions addressing alcohol-related risks.

Hyderabad: In the public health discourse, tobacco consumption is universally linked to the rise of the non-communicable disease (NCD) epidemic in India.

However, in Telangana, the link between tobacco usage and NCDs suffers from a major anomaly. Even as Telangana records tobacco usage rates noticeably lower than the national average, the State grapples with a persistent, heavy burden of NCDs. The public health data points directly to a different, largely under-discussed culprit, which is widespread alcohol consumption and haphazard lifestyle.

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While there is no denying the general link between tobacco and NCDs, a closer, granular scan of the health data from the recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS 2023-24) exposes a striking contradiction, especially when looking at Southern states like Telangana.

The standard national narratives link heavy tobacco and substance use uniformly. However, Telangana’s public health metrics present an inverted reality. Nationally, roughly 38 per cent of adult men consume tobacco in some form. In stark contrast, male tobacco use in Telangana hovers significantly lower at roughly 22.3 per cent.

Yet, when looking at alcohol consumption parameters within the exact same demographic, the data flips dramatically. Telangana ranks near the absolute top of major Indian states for male alcohol prevalence.

According to NFHS findings, a significant 43.9 per cent of men aged 15 and above in the state report consuming alcohol, more than double the national average of 18.9 per cent.

The divergence becomes even more pronounced when considered at regional level. Urban centers like Hyderabad show lower consumption patterns, but rural districts in Telangana reveal exceptionally high densities of alcohol intake. Rural average consumption of alcohol is around 46 per cent, with individual rural districts like Jangaon recording rates as high as 61.6 per cent.

For public health researchers and policy planners, the data mismatch highlights a critical blind spot because traditional health campaigns heavily package tobacco and alcohol suppression together for NCD-prevention initiatives.

However, the ground reality in Telangana suggests that lifestyle diseases, ranging from liver ailments and metabolic disorders to cardiovascular complications, are being propelled primarily by heavy regional alcohol prevalence rather than traditional smoking or smokeless tobacco habits.

As health authorities look to blunt the rising tide of NCDs, the numbers make it clear that at the state level, the health machinery in Telangana has to move past standard anti-tobacco initiatives and deal with heavy local alcohol consumption head-on through public health initiatives.

Tobacco and Alcohol consumption in Telangana:

22.3 per cent of men (15 years and above) use some form of tobacco

43.9 per cent of men (15 and above) consume alcohol.

18.9 per cent of men (15 and above) consume alcohol nationally.

Rural average consumption of alcohol is 46.6 per cent

In urban centers like Hyderabad, alcohol consumption is 30.4 per cent

Jangaon has 61.6 per cent male alcohol prevalence

Female Alcohol Prevalence (Telangana NFHS Data):

While public health debates on substance use are overwhelmingly framed around male demographics, the NFHS data unveils a striking outlier regarding women in Telangana. While the national average for women’s alcohol consumption (15 and above) is just 1.1 per cent, Telangana records 7.1 per cent of women consuming alcohol. Rural women in Telangana register a consumption rate of 8.6 per cent, compared to 2.8 per cent in urban pockets.