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SCIENCEWednesday 13 January 2016
To Your Health:
Q&A on UK’s new drinking guidelines, alcohol link to cancer
MARIA CHENG For women, the guidelines A man walks by a wines and spirits shop in central London. British health officials say that drinking
AP Medical Writer remain unchanged, rec- any alcohol regularly increases the risk of cancer, in tough new guidelines that could be hard to
LONDON (AP) — Brit- ommending no more than swallow for a nation where having a pint is a hallowed tradition. In recommendations released
ish health officials say drink- 14 units a week. on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, Britain’s Chief Medical Officer advised both men and women not to drink
ing alcohol regularly in- Men, however, had previ- any more than 14 units of alcohol, or about six pints of beer a week _ that still carries a low risk of
creases the risk of cancer. ously been told they could liver disease or cancer.
And they’ve issued tough drink up to 21 units a week.
new guidelines that could That now drops to the same (AP Photo/Sang Tan)
prove hard to swallow in a limit as for women. The
nation where having a pint original guidance was pub- sales and cheap alcohol WITH OTHER COUNTRIES? WHAT’S THE VIEW DOWN AT
is a hallowed tradition. lished in 1995, before many has fueled a rise in binge- Each country measures THE PUB?
Britain’s chief medical of- links between alcohol and drinking, which Prime Min- alcohol consumption dif- “This won’t change a
ficer says in recommenda- cancer were detected. ister David Cameron once ferently. Brtiain’s guidelines thing,” said David Evans,
tions published this week- Friday’s updated guidance declared a national scan- are stricter than those of an engineer enjoying a pint
end that men and women clarifies advice to preg- dal. Even the new guid- other European countries at a north London pub.
should not drink more than nant women, recommend- ance acknowledges that in Europe, notably Ireland He said he regularly ex-
14 units of alcohol — about ing they avoid alcohol “as people are unlikely to give and Spain, but similar to U.S. ceeds the new limit of
six pints of beer or four a precaution.” The recom- up drinking and does not expert recommendations. about six pints of beer a
large glasses of wine — per mendations say “the risk of call for abstinence. According to American week in a single day and
week, and consuming be- harm to the baby is likely To help Britons avoid binge dietary guidelines, women has no intention of chang-
low that amount still carries to be low if a woman has drinking, the government should drink no more than ing his drinking habits. “A
a low risk of liver disease or drunk only small amounts recommends that people one drink a day and men lot of people will let their
cancer. of alcohol before she knew spread their drinking over should have no more than own body tell them what’s
Alcohol is a known carcin- she was pregnant or during at least three days a week. two. right and what’s wrong,” he
ogen. In the United States, pregnancy.” It warns that the risk of can- said. U.K. Independence
experts estimate about In the U.S., the Centers for cers of the mouth, throat WHAT ABOUT THOSE SUP- Party leader Nigel Farage
3.5 percent of all cancer Disease Control and Pre- and breast increases with POSED BENEFITS OF ALCO- said the advice was “over
deaths are alcohol-relat- vention says there is no any amount drunk on a HOL? the top” and called for a
ed. People who have more known safe level of alcohol more regular basis. While some studies suggest mass protest against such
than about four drinks daily consumption for women “This is not a crackdown on that drinking moderate lev- “nannying.”
run up to triple the risk of who are trying to get preg- alcohol,” said Dr. Niamh els of red wine is good for “We all know there is a big
contracting cancers of the nant or already in pregnan- Fitzgerald, a lecturer in al- the heart, British officials say problem with excessive al-
head and neck than non- cy. cohol studies at the Uni- that applies only to women cohol consumption in this
drinkers. Here are questions versity of Stirling, who was over the age of 55, par- country,” he told LBC radio.
and answers about the Brit- WILL BRITONS GO TEETO- not involved in drafting the ticularly those who drink “But frankly, if we choose
ish guidelines and their like- TAL? government guidelines. “It no more than about two to enjoy a few drinks four
ly effect: Almost certainly not in a na- is about supporting peo- glasses a week. The British or five nights a week after a
tion known for its ales and ple to make up their own report said it “concluded hard day at work, whether
WHAT’S NEW? its pubs. Lax control of retail minds.” that there is no justification it slightly shortens our lives
for drinking for health rea- or not, so what?”q
HOW DOES THIS COMPARE sons.”
