Low-level drinkers have increased cancer and cardiovascular risk, study finds | UK News

Low-level drinking can increase your chances of cancer and cardiovascular disease, according to a new study.

Research conducted by the behavioral insights team, on behalf of the Charity Alcohol Change UK, has investigated the drinking habits of more than 4,000 British adults.

It was found that people who consumed alcohol within the NHS guidelines had worse health than non-drinkers.

Compared to people who never consumed alcohol, the cardiovascular disease rose from 1% to 5%, for cancer it went from 1% to 4%.

The study also found that drinkers at a low risk ‘reduced sleep quality, worse daily functioning and poorer dental health reported, compared to those who have never consumed alcohol.

With more than 30 million people in the UK drinking at these levels, champions are calling on people to reconsider their drinking habits.

Dr. Richard Piper, CEO of Alcohol Change UK, said: “For decades we have a binary, but false idea that” drinking problems “only affect a minority of people with alcohol dependence.

“But as this research makes clear, alcohol takes a large amount over the drinking spectrum, even at ‘low-risk’ level.”

The NHS recommends that people do not consume more than six pints of medium-strength beer or 10 small glasses of lower-strength wine per week, but scientists warn that this is the way in which some people consume those volumes of alcohol that can be problematic for their health.

Professor David Nutt, a former government advisor, said some considered 14 units a week as a target and other drinks.

“There are people who think,” I have 14 units, I can drink seven drinks on a Friday, seven on a Saturday, that’s fine. “

“We know that drinking the maximum allowance in one or two is very dangerous. This is where the data becomes quite complicated because some of the damage is undoubtedly enlarged by drinking liquor within that low-risk weekly level.”

Nathan Eades, 37, manages two high pubs in Cheltenham and regularly uses large amounts of alcohol, but has recently changed his habits.

“To cut out alcohol from five, six pints at the end of a shift to maybe one vodka cool drink, two vodka cool drinks a week really helped to benefit us as a business and me as a person,” he said.

“After probably having too much, how does your family take it? How do your co -workers work with you? How do they feel with your mood shakes, brain manure and irrationality? This is the area for which we all have to be a little more mindful of. ‘

Alcohol change UK calls on the government to impose labeling for health risks on alcohol as well as marketing restrictions so that people have more information about the alcohol they consume and are not so often encouraged to buy drinks.

A spokesman for a Department of Health and Social Care said: ‘We recognize the need for urgent action to reverse the unacceptable levels of alcohol damage and death.

“As part of our plan for change, we shift our focus from disease to prevention, prioritize early intervention and health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives in the UK.”