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The Independent
24-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Alcohol needs ‘bold and unambiguous' cancer warnings, experts say
Doctors and health experts have urged Sir Keir Starmer to address the lack of public awareness regarding the link between alcohol consumption and cancer. An alliance of health experts is calling for 'bold and unambiguous' cancer warning labels on alcoholic drinks and a minimum price of 65p per unit in England. They say alcohol consumption is proven to cause seven forms of cancer and contributes to 17,000 cases annually, with a significant lack of public understanding of these risks. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) is leading this campaign, emphasising that clear health labelling is crucial to empower consumers to make informed choices. While Ireland will become the first country to implement cancer warning labels on alcohol from May, and the World Health Organisation supports such measures, the alcohol industry opposes them, citing potential "unnecessary anxiety". Alcohol labels should warn of cancer risk, urge health groups
The Independent
24-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Alcohol labels should warn of cancer risk, urge health groups
Alcoholic drinks should have labels that explicitly state the link between drinking and cancer, an alliance of doctors, charities and public experts has urged. The labels are vital to combatting a historic lack of awareness among Britons that alcohol consumption is proven to cause seven forms of cancer, as well as 17,000 cases of the disease a year, they claim. The campaign to have warnings placed on alcoholic drinks is being spearheaded by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), which has written a letter to Sir Keir Starmer. They demanded that 'bold and unambiguous' labels be placed on all drinks containing alcohol, while also calling for a minimum alcohol pricing of 65p per unit in England. 'The evidence is clear: health labelling on alcoholic drinks is urgently needed in the UK to help save lives,' it said. 'They should carry strong, clear messages about the health risks, which include the risk of cancer, far beyond vague advice like 'consume in moderation'.' Kate Oldridge-Turner, the WCRF's head of policy and public affairs, said: 'Providing alcohol warning labels would empower millions to make informed choices by clearly understanding the risks.' Dr Helen Croker, assistant director of research and policy at WCRF, suggested 'bottles of beer show less information than bottles of orange juice', suggesting that England must have a national alcohol strategy. It has not had a plan in place since 2012. From next May, Ireland will become the first country in the world to include cancer warning labels on alcoholic drinks. They will be required to warn consumers of a 'direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers'. Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation's European office issued calls for such labelling to become commonplace, publishing a report entitled: 'Alcohol health warning labels: a public health perspective for Europe'. Introducing the report, WHO regional director Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge claimed that 'clear and prominent health warning labels on alcohol, which include a specific cancer warning, are a cornerstone of the right to health'. The organisation added in the report that policymakers should 'resist all the pressure that will inevitably come from commercial actors' who suggest warning labels will not work. Alcohol industry spokespeople have since voiced their opposition to warning labels, claiming they can create 'unnecessary anxiety'. A spokesperson for the Portman Group, a drinks industry-funded body that oversees alcohol labelling in the UK, told The Guardian: 'Whilst we do not dispute the link between alcohol and certain cancers, and that drinking at harmful levels is dangerous and increases risks, blanket cancer warning labels are not a proportionate policy measure and do not put the risks into an appropriate context. 'This can create unnecessary anxiety, eroding trust in health advice and alienating the very people who require support.' They added that most drinks already include the advice from the UK's chief medical officers to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week.
Times
23-06-2025
- Health
- Times
Alcohol labels should warn of cancer risk, urge health groups
Bottles of wine and beer should have warning labels stating that alcohol causes cancer, public health experts have said. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), a charity based in London, has launched a campaign urging the government to require companies to put 'bold and unambiguous' health warnings and calorie information on alcoholic drinks. One in 25 cases of cancer in the UK — about 17,000 each year — are caused by alcohol, research shows. Alcohol can cause seven types of cancer, including breast and bowel. A group of health organisations have signed a letter to Sir Keir Starmer demanding a new 'national alcohol strategy', which would include mandatory product labelling. It is also calling for minimum alcohol pricing of 65p per unit in England — the level already in force in Scotland — as well as marketing and advertising restrictions on alcoholic drinks. The organisation said that this would reduce cancer risks as well as cutting other deaths from alcohol, after a 42 per cent increase in alcohol-specific deaths between 2019 and 2023. Alcohol has been shown to cause seven types of cancer OSCAR WONG/GETTY IMAGES Kate Oldridge-Turner, head of policy and public affairs at WCRF, said: 'The evidence is clear: health labelling on alcoholic drinks is urgently needed in the UK to help save lives. 'Health warning labels must be bold, unambiguous and completely separate from any marketing on the product. They should carry strong, clear messages about the health risks, which include the risk of cancer — far beyond vague advice like 'consume in moderation'. 'The goal must be to reduce alcohol use, given it increases the risk of seven types of cancer. Even if people continue to drink on social occasions, cutting down their regular intake would be a major step forward.' A poll of UK adults found that only one in 13 people knew that alcohol increases the risk of cancer and more people thought red wine had health benefits than knew of its cancer risk. Dr Helen Croker, assistant director of research and policy at WCRF, said: 'England prides itself on food safety, so why are our alcohol labelling and marketing restrictions far behind so many other countries? Why hasn't there been a national alcohol strategy in England since 2012? And why do bottles of beer show less information than bottles of orange juice? It is not mandatory in the UK to put health warnings on labels of alcoholic drinks MATTHEW HORWOOD/GETTY IMAGES 'We urgently need proper public awareness so that people understand the risks that come with drinking alcohol.' Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of the Alcohol Health Alliance, said: 'One of the reasons public awareness is so low is that we are being kept in the dark about the true cost of drinking. People have the right to know the full picture so that they can make informed choices about what they consume. 'To reduce the impact of alcohol on our health, we need change at a national level. We urgently need a national alcohol strategy to open up honest conversations about the risks of alcohol, while putting measures in place to tackle and prevent its harms.'
Telegraph
23-06-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Why a pint a day puts men at risk of cancer
Just one in five men knows that drinking any kind of alcohol can increase your risk of cancer, according to new research released today from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). A fifth even cited tea, coffee and bottled water as potential causes of cancer despite all being deemed far safer than alcohol. Not only that, it was also found that while nearly a third of people are happy to talk about their sex lives and 17 per cent of us will open up about the state of our bank accounts, just 16 per cent of us can comfortably delve into how we feel about drink – and specifically whether we're drinking too much. It's typically men who find it hardest, says Richard Cooke, a professor of health psychology at the University of Staffordshire, who works with the WCRF and studies men's relationships with alcohol. 'We know that men don't think about their health as much as women do,' says Prof Cooke, and as this research demonstrates, 'they don't tend to pay a lot of attention to the information that's out there either.' Problematically they also feel the need to match their mates for pints and are quite averse to cutting back. 'Men in their 40s, 50s and 60s report feeling pressure to keep up with their friends and not to rock the boat,' says Prof Cooke. 'By that point, drinking has the force of habit too, and it can become very difficult even to consider changing your behaviour.' So what's the truth about how your drinking may raise your risk of developing cancer if you're a man? The facts are in – and it may prove a tough pill to swallow. Why alcohol causes cancer When you have a pint, a cocktail or a glass of wine, 'the ethanol in the drink is broken down into acetaldehyde, a toxin that's known to cause direct damage to the DNA in your body's cells and cause carcinogenic mutations that can develop into cancer,' says Dr Helen Croker, the assistant director of research and policy at the WCRF. This is why 'no amount of alcohol is considered safe to drink' by the WCRF and a number of other charities and health organisations. Some cancers are much more closely linked to alcohol consumption than others, however. Colorectal, mouth, throat and liver cancers are all more likely to occur in people who drink alcohol, as 'the alcohol is coming into contact with those tissues', Dr Croker explains. In 2020, 4 per cent of all new cancer cases in Britain were associated with alcohol consumption. Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in British men, after prostate cancer. Earlier this year, the WCRF advised that women should avoid drinking completely to prevent breast cancer, in the same way as they should avoid smoking. Men were advised merely to restrict their alcohol intake to prevent colorectal cancer, but 'I do believe that the NHS and other health authorities should recommend that men follow the same advice as women and avoid alcohol completely', says Dr Harriet Rumgay, an epidemiologist at the World Health Organisation (WHO). Rates of this cancer are rising around the world, and while scientists are still working to determine what is driving the rise, it seems to be in part linked to dietary factors such as ultra-processed food or red meat consumption. Given that we all seem to be at a greater risk of bowel cancer these days, 'now is a better time than ever to consider cutting down on how much alcohol you drink, as we know for certain that drinking alcohol increases your risk,' Dr Rumgay says. Two pints or more a day Two pints of high-strength beer or cider; three pints of low-strength beer or cider; two large glasses of wine. Men who drink two pints a day on average are at a 38 per cent greater risk of developing colorectal cancer than men who don't drink, says Dr Rumgay. Of 100 men who drink two pints a day, an extra two would develop colorectal cancer over the course of their lives, not taking into account factors such as weight, genetic risk and whether or not they smoke, compared with 100 men who don't drink. A pint of beer or cider can come in at two to three units, depending on its strength. Whichever kind you're partial to, having more than four units a day on average puts men in the colorectal cancer danger zone, says Dr Croker. 'Thirty grams of ethanol per day, or around four units, is where the significant risk threshold for colorectal cancer starts,' she says. In Britain there are more than 5,000 new cancer cases a year attributable to alcohol consumption, in men alone, and half of those are cases of colorectal cancer. If you are overweight or obese, or eat a diet high in processed food or red meat, however, your risk of colorectal cancer will be higher. 'We are still trying to understand the causes of colorectal cancer, but we know that alcohol can raise your risk of other cancer types too, so for this reason we should advise that men avoid it altogether if they can,' says Dr Rumgay. It's important to note that this is an average of four units a day. If you have a pint most days in the week, and have three or four on Fridays and Saturdays, then statistically speaking, you could well be at just as much risk as someone who drinks a smaller amount more regularly. Once you start consuming more than two pints a day on average, your colorectal cancer risk really begins to spike. Men who drink 35 units of alcohol per week, equivalent to about 15 pints of low-strength lager, or 12 pints of high-strength beer or cider, have a 9 per cent chance of developing colorectal cancer in their lifetimes. Of all colorectal cancer cases in the UK linked to drinking alcohol, two thirds are attributable to 'the heaviest level of drinking' as mapped out by the WHO, Dr Rumgay adds, at more than 53 units or around 18 pints a week. Having two pints a day also raises your risk of developing mouth or throat cancer by 94 per cent. This pattern of drinking also increases your risk of developing liver cancer by 84 per cent. Of 100 men who drink two pints a day, an extra one would develop mouth or throat cancer over the course of his life, and one extra man would also develop liver cancer over the course of his life, compared with 100 men who don't drink. One pint every day One pint of high-strength beer or cider; a pint and a half of low-strength beer or cider; one large glass of wine. According to a 2022 report, men in Britain consume an average of 17.6 units a week, equivalent to between one and two pints a day. Men who drink one three-unit pint a day, on average, are at a 17 per cent greater risk of developing colorectal cancer than men who don't drink, says Dr Rumgay. Of 100 men who drink one pint a day, an extra one would develop colorectal cancer over the course of their lives, not taking into account factors such as weight, genetic risk and whether or not they smoke, compared with 100 men who don't drink. Having one pint every day also raises your risk of developing mouth or throat cancer by 39 per cent. Unfortunately, your drink of choice does little to mitigate your risk of cancer, though 16 per cent of men in Britain now choose red wine over other drinks because of the perceived health benefits, according to the WCRF's new research. It is true that the plant chemicals in red wine can have positive effects on your health, 'but they're also present in other foods like grapes and tea and coffee, and when it comes to red wine, the negative impact on your health far outweighs any positives,' says Dr Croker. If you are going to have a pint every day, sticking to lower-strength or non-alcoholic beers is a wiser bet, 'as this reduces the amount of alcohol you're consuming overall,' Dr Rumgay advises. Drinking only at the weekend Eight pints of high-strength beer or cider; 12 pints of low-strength beer or cider; eight large glasses of wine. Men who drink eight three-unit pints over the course of a weekend, on average, are at a 20 per cent greater risk of developing colorectal cancer than men who don't drink, says Dr Rumgay. Of 100 men who drink eight pints over a weekend, an extra one would develop colorectal cancer over the course of his life, not taking into account factors such as weight, genetic risk and smoking, compared with 100 men who don't drink. This drinking pattern also leads to a 46 per cent increased risk of mouth or throat cancer. Men who drink four three-unit pints over the course of a weekend, meanwhile, are not at a significantly greater risk of developing colorectal cancer than men who don't drink, says Dr Rumgay. This drinking pattern does lead to a 21 per cent increased risk of mouth or throat cancer, however. Alcohol can also cause an inflammatory response in your body, another reason that it has been linked to cancer incidence. Keeping your alcohol consumption to the weekend, but at lower levels, or simply having sober days in between drinking days, can help to mitigate the danger caused by consuming alcohol. 14 units (5-7 pints) in a week Five pints of high-strength beer or cider; seven pints of low-strength beer or cider; five large glasses of wine. Fourteen units of alcohol is the most that you can drink in a week, as a man, without significantly raising your risk of developing colorectal cancer. Men who stick to this limit have a 6.5 per cent lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer, the same as non-drinking men, compared with the lifetime risk for men who have two pints a day on average, which is around 9 per cent. This level of drinking still significantly increases your risk of mouth or throat cancer, however. Men who drink 14 units a week are at a 24 per cent greater risk of developing mouth or throat cancer. According to the NHS, having fewer than 14 units per week as a man means that your drinking is 'low-risk'. The reality, however, is that you begin to up your risk of cancer when you drink more than a unit every day on average, says Dr Croker. 'And one unit doesn't mean one pint,' she adds. Half a pint of a weak beer or cider is all that's needed to meet this threshold. Some research shows that drinking two units a day, or 14 a week, can increase your risk of any alcohol-related cancer by as much as 15 per cent. A third of men in Britain drink more than 14 units a week, according to the NHS. Dr Rumgay suggests that you track how much alcohol you are actually consuming each week, as 'it can be surprisingly easy to go over 14 units without realising', she says. One pint a few times a week Two pints of high-strength beer or cider; three pints of low-strength beer or cider; two large glasses of wine. Six units of alcohol – under one unit per day – is the most that you can drink in a week, as a man, without significantly increasing your risk of liver cancer. Doing so will still increase your risk of mouth or throat cancer, however, by 13 per cent, according to Dr Rumgay's estimates. If you smoke and drink at the same time, 'there is lots of evidence to say that you are making both activities more dangerous in terms of your cancer risk,' Dr Rumgay says. Sticking to fewer than one unit per day on average is much safer when it comes to cancer risk than exceeding this limit, however, 'as your risk of developing any cancer increases with each unit you drink per day,' says Dr Croker. That means having no more than two pints of high-strength beer or cider or three pints of low-strength beer or cider in a week. Again, Dr Rumgay recommends keeping a close eye on your units wherever possible, and choosing lower-strength drinks. One pint a week The effects of drinking regularly but having fewer than one unit a day on average 'are less well understood', says Dr Croker. We do know, however, that while drinking this much will not significantly increase your risk of colorectal or liver cancer, having one three-unit pint every week, on average, will increase your risk of mouth cancer by 5 per cent, says Dr Rumgay. Some 57 per cent of British men drink alcohol at least once a week, according to an NHS survey. 'Reducing your alcohol consumption by swapping out your pint for a non-alcoholic drink would be a very good move for your health, if it means that it allows you to keep socialising and enjoying yourself without consuming more alcohol,' Dr Rumgay says. One pint a few times a year Having one three-unit pint every few weeks, on average, would increase your risk of mouth or throat cancer by 4 per cent, according to Dr Rumgay. Having a pint every few months, meanwhile, would increase your risk of mouth or throat cancer by just 0.4 per cent. Neither drinking pattern would cause a significant increase in your risk of colorectal or liver cancer. So while no amount of drinking is completely safe, you may be pleased to know that celebrating with a pint or few a couple of weekends a year will up your cancer risk only marginally. What these statistics mean The following risk estimates have been provided by Dr Rumgay. They are based on the lifetime risk of different cancers among men who don't drink at all. For colorectal cancer in men, this is 6.5 per cent, while the lifetime risk of mouth or throat cancer is 0.8 per cent, and the lifetime risk of liver cancer is also 0.8 per cent. This combines with the additional risk posed by how many grams of alcohol you drink per day on average to give your 'absolute risk', not taking into account your health in general. Where we talk about a number of men out of 100 who will develop one of these cancers in their lifetime, we have rounded it to the nearest whole number. There are many other factors that increase a man's risk of cancer, such as smoking, being overweight, or having a family history of the disease. All these factors mean that you may be at an increased or decreased risk from drinking compared with other men who consume a similar amount of alcohol to you. These figures compare the 'relative risk' of different groups of men and don't reflect your personal risk as a whole. For this reason, 'if you're young, maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly, then the risk posed to you by drinking alcohol is lower, but any amount is still dangerous,' Dr Rumgay says. How to say no to another drink – by Prof Richard Cooke Men find it much harder than women to say no to 'another one'. The WCRF's recent survey found that a quarter of men worry about being judged or being seen as boring when they say no to alcohol, and one in five of us has called in sick the day after a weekday night out as we can't make it into work (compared with just one in 10 women). We also know that men rely on excuses more than women – half of men have made an excuse not to drink, compared with 40 per cent of women. My work as a health psychologist shows that coming up with a reason that's personal to you when you're turning down a drink is the best way to stick to your guns. Work out why you're doing it Decide why it is that you want to drink a bit less – whether it's to reduce your cancer risk or feel clearer-headed on Sunday morning. (Tip: avoid saying something such as you want to save money or that you're trying to lose weight, because research suggests that these reasons are quite easy to counteract, by other people buying you a drink, or saying something such as, 'The diet can wait!') Instead, choose something that's specific to you, something that you care about, as your reason to reduce your drinking. Explain it to people confidently Evidence suggests that when you explain clearly and confidently why you don't want another pint, people are more likely to accept your explanation and less likely to push you to drink. Just over 10 per cent of men choose to say that they are trying to get fitter or need to avoid a hangover to make it to the gym the next day, and for them, this seems to work well. Try different moderation techniques There are different ways to drink less without suffering the feeling of missing out. One is to try low-and-no drinks that look very similar to alcoholic drinks, which can be especially helpful if you struggle with peer pressure (though the jury is out on whether these may increase drinking in the long term). Another is bookending: starting and ending the night with soft drinks and having alcoholic drinks in the middle. Giving a few a go and seeing what works for you can be a big help.
STV News
23-06-2025
- Health
- STV News
Only one in six Scots feel comfortable talking about alcohol, survey finds
Only one in six (17%) adults in Scotland feel comfortable talking about their relationship with alcohol, according to new research. A poll carried out by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) of 2,000 UK adults shows it is one of the least talked-about topics, less than money (32%) or sex (19%). The survey to mark Cancer Prevention Action Week found many people still do not understand the health risks of drinking alcohol. Across the UK, one in four adults say alcohol has no health risks. In Scotland, this dropped to one in six. Meanwhile, only one in 14 UK adults mentioned cancer as a risk when asked about alcohol. Laura Mahon, deputy chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: 'Every day in Scotland three people are diagnosed with an alcohol-related cancer, yet the alcohol industry continues to keep the public in the dark about the health risks of their products by choosing not to provide us with the clear information we need to make informed choices. 'The Scottish Government must empower consumers in Scotland by introducing mandatory health warning labels on alcohol products. This should form part of a refreshed and robust alcohol strategy focused on strong preventative measures to reduce alcohol harm.' Since Scotland introduced Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) in 2018, alcohol deaths have dropped by 13.4%, and overall drinking fell by 3%. But the Covid pandemic caused a rise in risky drinking and more alcohol-related deaths. iStock Minimum unit pricing was introduced in Scotland in 2018 World Cancer Research Fund CEO Rachael Gormley said: 'Alcohol is pervasive in our lives, from celebrations to after-work drinks and social gatherings. But do we truly understand the risks involved? 'Our findings show that most people are unaware that any amount of alcohol elevates the risk of seven types of cancer. 'It's essential that we engage in more discussions about alcohol and cancer, empowering individuals to make informed health choices.' With Scottish elections coming up, WCRF urges politicians to build on the success of MUP. They want a new National Alcohol Strategy that focuses on prevention and includes a fresh Cancer Action Plan. World Cancer Research Fund executive director of research and policy, Dr Panagiota Mitrou, said: 'While a coordinated approach across the UK would undeniably be most effective in tackling alcohol harm across the country, we urge the next Scottish government to make full use of their devolved powers which will allow them to make progress in key areas such as mandatory health warning labels and marketing restrictions. 'We also urge the UK government to work with the devolved administrations to take bold and collective action to reduce consumption. 'Crucially, the policies set out in a revised alcohol strategy must be developed in conjunction with a new plan for cancer, given that the Scottish government's current Cancer Action Plan expires in 2026. 'Ultimately, both renewed strategies must place prevention at their core.' Breast cancer survivor Nikki Bednall said: 'I always thought drinking a few times a week was fine. I never knew it could raise my cancer risk. 'If I'd known earlier, I might have made different choices. Though hindsight is easy, my perspective has changed with the knowledge that came after my diagnosis. 'For example, I now drink very little alcohol to stack the odds in my favour as much as possible. Now, my motto is: 'Look after your body like you have nowhere else to live because the reality is you don't.' Health Secretary Neil Gray said: 'The Scottish Government is working to reduce alcohol-related harm and deaths. Our world-leading Minimum Unit Pricing policy and the decision to uprate the unit price to 65 pence per unit is a key part of our approach to tackling alcohol harm. 'We want every person experiencing harm from alcohol use to be able access the support they need. That is why we have allocated £112m to local Alcohol and Drug Partnerships for treatment and support services. 'The forthcoming UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment are anticipated to further support the improvement of alcohol treatment in Scotland. In addition, the recently published Population Health Framework sets out a 10-year plan for population health, including addressing the harms caused by alcohol.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
