UK's new alcohol guidelines warn of increased cancer risk

UK's new guidelines for alcohol consumption warn that drinking any level of alcohol increases the risk of a range of cancers, according to a statement released Friday by the Department of Health.

It is now known that the risks start from any level of regular drinking and increase with the amount being drunk, and the new guidelines are aimed at keeping the risk of mortality from cancers or other diseases low, the statement says.

This is supported by a new review from the Committee on Carcinogenicity (CoC) on alcohol and cancer risk .The links between alcohol and cancer were not fully understood in the original guidelines, which came out in 1995.

The new guidelines say that men and women who drink regularly should consume no more than 14 units a week, which are equivalent to six pints of beer. The previous guidelines were 21 units for men and 14 units for women per week.

An additional recommendation is not to "save up" the 14 units for one or two days, but to spread them over three or more days. People who have one or two heavy drinking sessions each week increase the risk of death from long term illnesses, accidents and injuries. A good way to reduce alcohol intake is to have several alcohol free days a week.

The guidelines for pregnant women have also been updated to clarify that no level of alcohol is safe to drink in pregnancy.

"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," said Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer for England. Endit