According to the new U.K. government guidelines on alcohol consumption, the government has warned that women and men should not drink more than six pints of beer of standard glasses of wine per week otherwise more consumption could lead to elevated cancer risks.
The new guidelines which were issued on Friday in London decreased the recommended intake of alcohol consumption for men and women to 14 UK units of alcohol per week from the previous limit of 21 units. The guidelines also urged that people should also consider having alcohol-free days per week.
They also advise there is no safe level of drinking for either sex, and issued a stark warning that any amount of alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing a range of cancers, particularly breast cancer.
Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer for England, said: “Drinking any level of alcohol regularly carries a health risk for anyone, but if men and women limit their intake to no more than 14 units a week it keeps the risk of illness like cancer and liver disease low.”
Just one alcoholic drink a day could put you at risk of cancer and other illnesses later in life, new official guidelines warn. In the biggest shake-up of alcohol advice in 30 years, Britons are to be told there is no safe level of drinking booze. The move by the Chief Medical Officer follows new evidence that even small amounts greatly increase the risk of cancer.
On Thursday night, officials were accused of “nanny state” tactics and “scaremongering” the public – and for detailing advice which some might consider common-sense, such as not to take to drink before going up ladders.
The research published with the advice shows that drinking within the guidelines carries an increased risk of disease, raising lifetime risk to 12.64 per cent, compared with 10.90 per cent for teetotalers.
The advice from Prof Dame Sally Davies is the first new guidance on alcohol for 20 years. “What we are aiming to do with these guidelines is give the public the latest and most up- to-date scientific information so that they can make informed decisions about their own drinking and the level of risk they are prepared to take.”
Studies have repeatedly suggested that drinking red wine in moderation can protect the heart. But the new report says that this only applies to women aged 55 and over – and only if they limit it to small quantities. The guidance also says pregnant women should avoid alcohol altogether as there is no evidence for a “safe” drinking level in pregnancy.
Christopher Snowdon, Head of Lifestyle Economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: “Alcohol consumption has been falling for a decade. The change to the guidelines will turn hundreds of thousands of people into ‘hazardous drinkers’ overnight thereby reviving the moral panic about drinking in Britain and opening the door to yet more nanny state interventions. “People deserve to get honest and accurate health advice from the Chief Medical Officer, not scaremongering.”
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