A new study has found that Australia has one of the highest rates of alcohol abuse in the world.

The study by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre found that one in five Australians abuses alcohol, yet four out of five people with alcohol issues go untreated.

Professor Maree Teeson says alcohol abuse does not refer to how much someone drinks, instead it reflects the impact it is having on their life.

Professor Teeson says there is stigma related to seeking help for problem drinking.

The study found young men were much more likely to have problems with alcohol than any other sector in the population.