EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: A major report on alcohol use has found an alarming increase in alcohol-related deaths and diseases.

The study found 15 Australians die every day as a result of alcohol consumption.

Its authors are calling for a new national approach to alcohol-related illnesses and deaths.

Hamish Fitzsimmons reports.

HAMISH FITZSIMMONS, REPORTER: Australia has a drinking problem and it's just not bingeing on the booze that's creating a massive increase in alcohol-related health problems.

BELINDA LLOYD, TURNING POINT: What we're seeing is increasing chronic condition-related harms and that relates back to drinking over the course of someone's life, over a long period of time and may result from relatively low levels of alcohol consumption, but over a prolonged period.

HAMISH FITZSIMMONS: Consuming slightly more than the recommended two standard units of alcohol a day may not sound like much, but it might have more serious consequences later in life, according to the report.

BELINDA LLOYD: There are a number of cancers that relate to alcohol, digestive diseases, cardiovascular diseases and neuropsychiatric diseases as well that are contributed to not only by binge drinking, but also long-term lower-level alcohol consumption.

HAMISH FITZSIMMONS: The report reveals a 62 per cent increase in alcohol-related deaths since the last major study was done in 2003. The figure includes an increase in injuries, as well as chronic disease and illness.

JERRIL RECHTER, VICHEALTH: This report again shows us I think that we have a relationship with alcohol that is - needs examination. The fact that we've seen 62 per cent increase in death since the last report was released in 2003 shows us that people are just not understanding the impact of alcohol and its relationship to death and disease in Australia.

HAMISH FITZSIMMONS: The study used health data from across the country and was commissioned by VicHealth, the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education and the Turning Point Alcohol & Drug Centre. It reveals that in 2010 alone, excessive and long-term alcohol consumption resulted in 5,554 deaths and 157,000 hospitalisations.

MICHAEL THORN, FOUNDATION FOR ALCOHOL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION: These are numbers that are really very concerning and they are numbers that are suggesting that we're not doing enough in Australia to reduce the overall toll caused by alcohol's misuse.

HAMISH FITZSIMMONS: In Australia, alcohol is widely available, socially acceptable and relatively inexpensive.

MICHAEL THORN: There's no question that alcohol has never been more affordable and never been more available in this country. And the issue really is how to address this. One of the things about the problem is that we actually know what to do; the problem has been trying to get people to do something about that.

HAMISH FITZSIMMONS: Western Australia and the Northern Territory topped the list for poor health outcomes from alcohol.

BELINDA LLOYD: We know, for example, that the Northern Territory is dominated by rural and remote areas and we tend to see higher rates of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms in non-metropolitan areas.

HAMISH FITZSIMMONS: Victoria had the lowest level of alcohol-related death and disease. The state's health promotion body says education is the key.

JERRIL RECHTER: We are addressing alcohol culture and we're trying to make sure that people understand that going to an event, going to a sporting event, going to a child's birthday party, you don't need to be drinking at all of those occasions to have a good time.

HAMISH FITZSIMMONS: Raising taxes on alcohol is just one option health experts would like to see discussed.

MICHAEL THORN: We're not wowsers, but we want something done about this. We need a plan of action to address this toll, a toll which is four times the number of people who are killed on Australia's roads each year.

HAMISH FITZSIMMONS: Representatives from the alcohol industry declined to comment on the basis they hadn't seen the report, which will be released tomorrow.

Hamish Fitzsimmons, Lateline.