Objective  To examine the mortality and years of life lost (YLLs) induced by alcohol use in China from 2000 to 2019 and to provide evidences for making policy on the control of alcohol use.

  Methods  The data on estimated age-, gender- and disease-specific mortalities and YLLs attributable to alcohol use during the years from 2000 to 2019 in China were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study. Average annual change percentage (AAPC) and annual change percentage (APC) were used to analyze changing trend in the mortalities and YLL rate during the period.

  Results  From 2000 to 2019, the standardized mortality rate (1/100 000) and YLL rate (1/100 000) attributable to alcohol drinking for Chinese residents decreased from 35.30 and 955.84 to 26.98 and 715.84, with a significant downward trend (both P < 0.001); for the male and female Chinese residents from 2000 to 2019, the standardized mortality rate decreased from 67.62 and 7.52 to 54.72 and 4.44 and the standardized rate of YLL decreased from 1 759.04 and 166.69 to 1 370.77 and 95.07, respectively; all the rates showed a significant downward trend (all P < 0.001). Among the residents aged 15 – 49 years, significant decreases from 2000 to 2019 were observed in alcohol use-related mortality rate (from 1.06 and 9.17 to 0.35 and 8.38) and YLL rate (from 53.15 and 438.82 to 17.02 and 395.73) of infectious and non-communicable diseases (all P < 0.001). Compared to those in 2000, significant decreases in 2019 were observed in alcohol use-related mortality rates (1.80 vs. 6.10, 52.61 vs. 73.75, and 3.96 vs. 5.49) and YLL rates (52.12 vs. 176.83, 1 545.58 vs. 2 190.40, and 122.00 vs. 171.03) of infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and injuries among the residents aged 50 – 69 years (P < 0.001 for all); while among the residents ≥ 70 years old, significant decreases were also observed in alcohol use-related mortality rates (10.48 vs. 23.03 and 174.27 vs. 195.45) and YLL rates (139.03 vs. 346.01 and 2 514.83 vs. 3 004.96) of communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases (all P < 0.001).

  Conclusion  From 2000 to 2019, the alcohol drinking-related mortality rate and YLL rate decreased in Chinese residents 15 years old and above generally but there was no significant downward trend was observed in the alcohol drinking-related mortality rate and YLL of injuries among the residents aged 15 – 49 years and the residents aged 70 years and above.