From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语健康报道。

Many people all over the world enjoy an alcoholic drink during dinner. Many people raise a glass of alcohol to celebrate a wedding or a birthday. And having drinks after work with friends and co-workers is called "happy hour." All these situations are considered "social drinking" because they happen at social events. But when does "social drinking" become problem drinking?

世界各地许多人在晚餐时喝酒。很多人举起酒杯庆祝婚礼或生日。而下班后和朋友同事一起喝酒被称为“欢乐时光”。这些情境都被认为是“社交饮酒”，因为它发生在社会活动上。但社交饮酒何时成了酗酒？

According to the World Health Organization alcohol abuse kills 3.3 million people each year. That is six percent of all deaths around the world.

根据世界卫生组织所言，酗酒每年夺去330万人的生命，占到全球死亡人数的6%。

And in a new report on alcohol use around the world, the WHO says alcohol can create dependency, or addiction, in some people. The report also warns that alcohol use can increase the risk of developing more than 200 diseases, including some kinds of cancers. And, the WHO says alcohol abuse can put people at greater risk of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and HIV. 

世界卫生组织在一份全球饮酒的新报告中表示，酒精会让一些人产生依赖性或上瘾。该报告还警告说，饮酒会增加患上200多种疾病的风险，包括某些类型的癌症。世界卫生组织还说，酗酒会让人患上感染性疾病的风险更大，如肺结核、肺炎和艾滋病。

WHO Mental Health and Substance Abuse Director Shekhar Saxena says the organization is concerned about drinking among young people between the ages 15 and 19. And it is most concerned about "binge-drinking," or an extended period of heavy drinking.

世界卫生组织精神卫生和物质滥用司负责人谢加·萨克西纳（Shekhar Saxena）表示，该机构对15到19岁年龄的年轻人饮酒感到担忧，而最为担忧的是过量饮酒，或长期大量饮酒。

"The report concludes that worldwide 16 percent of drinkers over the age of 15 engage in binge-drinking, which is much more harmful than other kind of drinking ..."

他说，“该报告认为全球15岁以上饮酒者有16%涉及过量饮酒，这比其它类型的喝法伤害更大。”

The report warns that more women are drinking alcohol. And, the report says women are at greater risk than men for some alcohol-related health conditions. 

该报告警告说，越来越多的女性开始饮酒。报告还表示，与男性相比，女性面临的饮酒相关健康状况的风险更大。

The report also finds Europe is the area with the highest alcohol use. Central and Eastern Europe are especially high.

该报告还发现，欧洲是饮酒最为严重的地区。中部和东部欧洲尤其严重。

The WHO says people in Russia, Ukraine, and some neighboring countries drink a lot of alcohol and binge drink.

世界卫生组织表示，俄罗斯、乌克兰及一些邻近国家的人们大量饮酒并且过量饮酒。

Vladimir Poznyak is the WHO Management of Substance Abuse Coordinator. He says less alcohol is used in Africa than in Europe. But, he adds, the health effects are worse in Africa because of a lack of social support systems, such as access to health care.

弗拉基米尔·波兹尼亚克（Vladimir Poznyak）是世界卫生组织药物滥用管理问题协调官员。他说，非洲比欧洲饮酒少。但他补充说，因为缺乏社会支持体系，如获取医疗保健的途径，非洲的健康效应更糟。

The World Health Organization suggests ways countries can protect people from alcohol abuse. These include increasing taxes on alcohol sales, raising the drinking age limit, and controlling the marketing of alcoholic beverages. 

世界卫生组织提出了各国防止人们酗酒的几种办法。其中包括增加酒精销售税，提高饮酒年龄限制，并控制酒精饮料的销售。

And that's the Health Report. This report was written by Lisa Schlein in Geneva. I'm Anna Matteo.