Alcohol-related deaths in the U.K. have risen from 4,144 in 1991 to 8,386 last year, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The BBC reported Nov. 7 that British officials reported that alcohol death rates were higher for men than women: 17.9 deaths per 100,000 population versus 8.3 deaths per 100,000 among females.

Deaths caused by alcohol nearly doubled among men ages 35-54 between 1991 and 2005. The highest death rate for men and women occurred in the 55-74 age bracket (43.4 deaths per 100,000 population).

Included in the report were deaths from diseases and conditions known to be caused by alcohol use, including liver disease and pancreatitis.

"Tragic as they are, these figures are hardly a surprise," said Frank Soodeen, a spokesman for the group Alcohol Concern. "Rising consumption and alcohol-related mortality have been linked as far back as 1950. Binge drinkers should take special note of the rise in the number of people aged between 35 and 54 who are now dying. People need to realize that alcohol misuse is implicated in a range of fatal diseases from cancer to severe psychosis which can strike at relatively young ages."