No safe level of alcohol consumption, major study concludes

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JosephineO

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18/09/2018 at 14:35

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JosephineO

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Giving up drinking completely is the only way to avoid the health risks associated with alcohol, according to a major new study.

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Alcohol-related problems kill around 7 per cent of men and 2 per cent of women every year, and drinking is the leading cause of death and disability for people aged 15-49.

Though previous research has shown moderate levels of drinking may protect against heart disease, the new study concluded any supposed boosts to health are massively offset by the costs.

The researchers covered 195 countries between 1990 and 2016, and amassed data from hundreds of other studies.

“With the largest collected evidence base to date, our study makes the relationship between health and alcohol clear – drinking causes substantial health loss, in myriad ways, all over the world,” said Dr Max Griswold from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, one of the study’s lead authors.

They estimated that one drink a day increases the risk of developing an alcohol-related diseases including cancer, diabetes and tuberculosis by 0.5 per cent. This shot up to 7 per cent for those having two drinks a day, and 37 per cent for five drinks.

The findings emerge after another report found the drinks sector in the UK relies on people drinking above government limits for nearly 40 per cent of its revenues.

Official guidelines currently state that to keep alcohol health risks low, it is safest to avoid consuming more than 14 units a week – about seven pints of lager – on a regular basis.

However, the UK’s chief medical officers have previously stated that despite this allowance, there is “no safe level of alcohol consumption” – a point that has been reinforced by this study.

“There is a compelling and urgent need to overhaul policies to encourage either lowering people’s levels of alcohol consumption or abstaining entirely,” said Dr Emmanuela Gakidou, who also worked on the new research.

“The myth that one or two drinks a day are good for you is just that – a myth. This study shatters that myth.”

The findings were broadly welcomed by scientists and NGOs as a decisive statement on the impact drinking has on society.

Dr Tony Rao, a psychiatrist at King’s College London who was not involved in the study, commended the effort to unravel the complicated relationship between alcohol and health.

“We can now be more confident that there is no safe limit for alcohol when considering overall health risks,” he said.

Are you shocked by these findings? Do you find yourself ever going over the 14 units a week limit?

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22/01/2019 at 12:00

I was considered an alcoholic by my family. I took the title on. I went to A.A. only to listen, to cry, to try to find a way. All I did were to feel worse by these new 'colleague's of mine. I some how belonged I was understood by my new circle of friends. Some battled with it, having to be made to leave their children in care while they went into rehab...…. to those who were my real friends in a 'normal' life they hurt me the most. Gilly who at a young age was sexually abused by her father she kept her secrets until a few month's before she died of breast cancer...………. Colin was attempted killing himself three time's until he managed it...…… he was put on level 3 a danger to himself and other's spent a week in a secure unit then told to go home. He made his decision...…. and other's whose stories I will never forget. So for my life experiences about mental health related illnesses be it long term abuse, isolation because you feel ashamed of your self, no help within mental health departments it really is up to me now to love myself enough to change my way(s) of thinking. So yes I'm not suffering with liver disease I don't now drink whiskey with paracetamol to kill myself. I have learnt that I cant yet totally give up green ginger wine just yet.... but the day's between get's longer. X

No safe level of alcohol consumption, major study concludes https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/other-discussions/news-from-the-media/no-safe-level-of-alcohol-consumption-major-study-concludes-2554 2019-01-22 12:00:32

Lorkinn

23/01/2019 at 10:06

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Lorkinn

Last activity on 11/04/2024 at 17:52

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Good Luck Chrissy, wishing you well on the. last bit of your journey. I personally don’t think that there is such a thing as an alcoholic ( despite alcohol having had a profound effect around me and my family) I think there is always an underlying reason that a person uses alcohol, or drugs, after all alcohol is a legal drug, and until the underlying cause is found then there is little chance the “alcoholic” will stop drinking to excess. In fact once named an alcoholic the person might accept that they can’t because they are an alcoholic. One such example of this is it is now known that there are many indiagnosed adults with ADHD who self medicate with alcohol, however when the underlying cause is treated the alcohol is no longer required as “the medicine” on a daily basis

Unregistered member

23/01/2019 at 21:53

@Chrissy1953‍

Well done Chrissy. You are doing the right thing. Believe in yourself and love yourself for what you are and what you are doing. With your determination, you can do it. Keep saying to yourself several times a day."Yes, i can do it and I can prove that I am doing it" Good luck to you. There is no such thing as "I can't". You can, if you really try. So you keep trying Chrissy, and you will succeed.

I would love to know how you are getting on.

Best wishes

Nineteen_gale

jaycee

Edited on 24/01/2019 at 12:03

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jaycee

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@Lorkinn Pleased it seems to working for you, it took me a long time to control my own drinking but at the age of 70 I appear to have it under control, good luck to you if you stick at it you will win in the end

jaycee

24/01/2019 at 11:52

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jaycee

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@nineteen_gale Would never work now I'm afraid the people of this country have forgotten self control manners and respect, and could you just see our useless police forces trying to 'police' this

jaycee

24/01/2019 at 11:57

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jaycee

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@Chrissy1953 Good luck to you girl, I do know how you feel, never described myself as an alcoholic but boy could I drink, a lot of my years were just a blur but I'm in my 70s now and I do have it under control but as you yourself know it takes a lot of hard work and determination but reading your post it really does seem as if you have that determination in abundance so I wish you well for the future, and as I have found over the years you have to choose your friends wisely

jaycee

24/01/2019 at 12:00

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jaycee

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@Lorkinn Normally low self esteem causes people to drink as in my case, also you feel you always have 'friends' in a pub situation so you just carry on until it becomes such a habit it really is difficult to stop

Tigger.co.uk

01/07/2019 at 09:57

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Tigger.co.uk

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I dont drink because of all the medication I'm on but when I was a in my 20s I used to love going out for a drink with my friends but only week ends now I I'm older I have seen what it can do to people I have lost a lot of my friends to sclerosis of the liver ,cancer ,diabetes, etc so in a way I'm glad that I dont drink now but if I go out for a meal I do like a small glass of white wine but I only go out if family come to see me and that's not every week more like every six months lol .tiggs

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JosephineO

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02/07/2019 at 10:06

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JosephineO

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@Tigger.co.uk @jaycee @nineteen_gale @Lorkinn‍ @Chrissy1953‍ Thank you all for sharing and good luck with your various battles.

Have you all read our testimonial about alcoholism? It comes from our French platform and the man describes his helplessness as he watched his wife succumb to alcoholism. It is a poignant read and opens up a way to see addiction not only from the point of view of the addict. You can read it by clicking here.

Also, don't forget that we have a group dedicated to "Living with alcoholism". Feel free to post there and see what other members have to say. You can access this group by clicking here.

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Galion22

21/07/2019 at 14:28

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Galion22

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What I find particularly offensive with people that drink to much is the wasted hospital time this people take up on a weekly basis. I would like to see these people made to pay if the problem they are attending hospital for is drink related and the punishment for assaulting NHS much severe with lengthy prison sentences.

i used to drink many years ago but when my illness began to become serious I gave it up completely and do not miss it at all. I know some people find it relaxes them,and for others it lifts the spirit, but I have found there are other ways of obtaining these benefits without drinking. To sit out by the waterfall by my pond on a summers evening with a beautiful sun setting,that’s relaxation for me.

The facts of the research into alcohol consumption are quite conclusive and I think should be better advertised to the general public.

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T Preston

No safe level of alcohol consumption, major study concludes

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