[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Sign-in] [Mail] [Setup] [Help]
Status: Not Logged In; Sign In
|
Health See other Health Articles Title: Men Should Drink No More Than Women; New UK Guideline Medscape... Men should limit the amount they drink to the same maximum recommended levels as women as part of the biggest shake-up of alcohol guidelines in 20 years. The new advice does not mention 'safe’ drinking levels, but warns instead that any amount of alcohol increases the risk of getting a range of cancers. The UK's chief medical officers have admitted that the effect of alcohol on cancers was not fully understood when the previous guidelines were issued in 1995. The new version also warns about 'binge drinking', clarifies advice about the risks of drinking during pregnancy and addresses studies which have suggested that alcohol might be good for heart health. Know Your Limits The new guidelines follow a review of the scientific evidence of the last 20 years. Work started in 2013 and has been led by a panel of experts in public health, behavioural science and alcohol studies. As a result the chief medical officers are changing the alcohol guidelines for men. The new advice is that men should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol each week, the same level as for women. This compares with the weekly equivalent for the previous daily guidelines of 21 units for men and 14 units for women. The amount of alcohol in a drink varies. For instance, a single measure of spirit generally contains about 1 unit, whilst one medium-to-large glass of wine or a pint of beer typically contain around 2 to 3 units. A man who drinks 6 pints of average strength beer a week would reach the total of 14 units and remain at low risk of illnesses such as liver disease or cancer. Binge Drinking The guidelines also recommend people not to 'save up' the 14 units for one or two days - but instead spread them over three or more days. People who binge drink on one or two days of the week increase their risk of death from long term illnesses and accidents and injuries, they say. The chief medical officers are also recommending that people should have several alcohol-free days each week as a way of cutting consumption. Alcohol and Women The guidelines for pregnant women have also been updated in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to say that no level of alcohol is safe to drink in pregnancy. A caveat in the previous guidelines which suggested that, if pregnant women chose to drink, they should limit themselves to no more than 1 or 2 units once or twice per week, and should not get drunk, has been removed as a precaution. The review also found that the benefits of alcohol for heart health only apply for women aged 55 and over. Women in this age group benefit most when they limit their intake to around 5 units of alcohol a week, the equivalent of around two standard glasses of wine. Mark Petticrew, professor of public health evaluation at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who co-chaired the review, says in a statement: "This new guidance has been based on a wide range of new evidence from this country and overseas. We have reviewed all the evidence thoroughly and our guidance is firmly based on the science, but we also considered what is likely to be acceptable as a low risk level of drinking and the need to have a clear message." Drinking and Cancer At the same time as the new guidelines are announced, the Committee on Carcinogenicity (CoC) has published its latest findings which underline a link between alcohol and some types of cancer. It concludes that people who drink even a small amount of alcohol have a higher risk of some cancers compared to non-drinkers. Professor David Phillips of King's College London, who chaired the review, says in a statement: "Even alcohol intake of below 1.5 units a day, or 10.5 units a week, gives an increased risk of cancer of the mouth, throat and gullet. This level of drinking also increases the risk of breast cancer in women. When alcohol consumption is above around 1.5 units a day, or 10.5 units a week, there is an increased risk of cancer of the voice box and large bowel. "If alcohol intake is above about six units a day, or 42 units a week, there is an increased risk of cancer of the liver and pancreas. "The risk of getting cancer increases the more alcohol a person drinks. We found that between 4% and 6% of all new cancers in the UK in 2013 were caused by alcohol consumption." The CoC review found that the risk of getting some alcohol-related cancers diminishes over time when people stop drinking, but that several years may need to elapse before the risk falls to the same level as non-drinkers. Dame Sally Davies, England's chief medical officer, says: "Taking all possible effects in combination, we conclude that limiting your alcohol intake to no more than 14 units a week is the best way to keep the overall health risks from alcohol low." The new guidelines come into effect immediately, although the wording of the advice is open for consultation. Warning Labels Several organisations have welcomed the new guidelines and some have called for further action. The Alcohol Health Alliance is calling on the government to introduce compulsory warning labels on alcohol and to fund campaigns explaining the health risks of drinking above maximum recommended levels. Professor Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UK's expert on cancer prevention, says: "The link between alcohol and cancer is now well established, and it's not just heavy drinkers who are at risk. There is no 'safe' level of drinking when it comes to cancer - the less you drink, the lower your risk. "Many people still don't know that alcohol increases the risk of 7 types of cancer, including breast, mouth and bowel cancers. Drinking levels in the UK are almost double what they were in 1960, so it's vital we invest in national health campaigns to provide people with clear information about the health risks of drinking alcohol, particularly at levels above these new guidelines." 'A Healthier Approach to Alcohol' The Royal College of Physicians says it applauds the focus on recommending alcohol-free days and spreading alcohol consumption across several days. "This will help avoid the risks of binge drinking and prevent drinking every day becoming a habit," says its president Professor Jane Dacre, adding: "We as a nation need to move to a healthier approach to alcohol to reduce risks to health and life, and also reduce the massive burden on the NHS as a result of alcohol consumption." Samia al Qadhi, chief executive of Breast Cancer Care, says: "These guidelines are a stark reminder that alcohol increases breast cancer risk - this cannot be ignored. We hope this information helps people understand the impact drinking has on their health." The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) says the updated advice reflects its view that there is no safe amount a woman can drink when she is pregnant. "Consistent with our advice, abstinence from alcohol is the safest option, in particular for women trying to conceive or during the first three months of pregnancy," says Professor Alan Cameron, RCOG's vice president of clinical quality. He adds: "There is no proven safe amount of alcohol a woman can drink during pregnancy. We know that heavy drinking can cause foetal alcohol spectrum disorders and has also been linked with an increased risk of miscarriage." The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) says it has consistently advised women not to drink if pregnant or trying to conceive. "Our message has remained the same - that there is no evidence that any level of consumption is safe for the growing baby," says Jacque Gerrard, the RCM's director for England. The Portman Group, whose members are alcohol producers who support responsible drinking, says more than 4 in 5 adults drink within the lower risk guidelines. However, its chief executive, Henry Ashworth, says: "What is surprising is that the UK is breaking with established international precedent by recommending the same guidelines for men and women. "It also means that UK men are now being advised to drink significantly less than their European counterparts.” Understanding Risk Sir David Spiegelhalter, Winton professor of the public understanding of risk at the University of Cambridge, believes people need a firm grasp of how risky drinking might be for their health. “These guidelines define ‘low-risk’ drinking as giving you less than a 1% chance of dying from an alcohol-related condition,” he says. “So should we feel OK about risks of this level? An hour of TV watching a day, or a bacon sandwich a couple of times a week, is more dangerous to your long-term health. In contrast, an average driver faces much less than this lifetime risk from a car accident. “It all seems to come down to what pleasure you get from moderate drinking.” Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
|
||
|
[Home]
[Headlines]
[Latest Articles]
[Latest Comments]
[Post]
[Sign-in]
[Mail]
[Setup]
[Help]
|
||