Chief medical officers have shaken up guidelines for alcohol consumption to lower the risks from cancers and other diseases, reflecting a link between the two that was not as understood when the original guidance came out a decade ago.
Advertisement
The charity Alcohol Concern says that more than nine million people in England drink more than the recommended daily limit out of a population of around 54 million.
The new advice follows a review of scientific evidence since the previous guidelines were issued in 1995, the government said in an emailed statement.
On regular drinking:• You are safest not to drink regularly more than 14 units per week, to keep health risks from drinking alcohol to a low level. Regularly drinking alcohol increases your risk of developing breast cancer.
However, the latest guidance hasn’t differentiated between men and women, and cut the recommended consumption to 14 units across the whole week.
However, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has responded by suggesting the new guidelines are not reliable due to the lack of agreement over the subject amongst health experts.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said: “We have to be very careful to ensure that the public know the risks of drink, so they can take their choice”.
Women are warned that while the risk to a baby is low if small amounts are consumed, they are reminded the risk of causing long-term damage to the baby increases the more that is drunk.
A leading cancer charity has backed new alcohol guidelines reducing an individual’s weekly intake.
Pregnant women are also now being advised not to drink at all.
Among men, for cirrhosis of the liver, those who regularly drink two units a day have a 57pc increased risk of dying from the disease compared with non-drinkers.
Everyone is warned against binge drinking and advised to limit their alcohol consumption, alternate drinks with water, and try to drink with food.
“The vast majority of us – more than four in five adults – drink within the current lower risk guidelines”.
While this means that the recommended units for women remains unchanged, it has seen the addition of updated guidelines for pregnant women, who are now being informed that no level of alcohol consumption is considered safe for them.
“However, this apparent “protection” is now open to question and, with the other evidence demonstrating even small amounts increase other health risks including but not limited to weight gain and cancers, then it’s clear that for many the less alcohol drunk the better”.
Advertisement
The report found that any heart health benefits from alcohol are only relevant to women aged 55 or older.
