Latest news with #WorldCancerResearchFund
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Voices: Putting cancer warnings on alcohol would help me drink less
Back in the early noughties, the indoor smoking ban led to an outcry over 'the nanny state'. The same happened when cigarette advertising was banned, and when manufacturers were required to plaster packs with images of diseased lungs. Yet over the past 40 years, according to Cancer Research, lung cancer rates in men have dropped by around 60 per cent. We may think we crave the rugged freedoms of the Marlboro Man, but given the facts, it turns out we don't actually want to die. And yet when it comes to alcohol, one of the world's biggest killers, a key driver of cancers, heart disease, strokes and obesity, there are no images of rotting livers on the chilled Sauvignon. The presentation of booze in the supermarket aisles is as benign as kitchen roll and chicken pie. It's described on restaurant menus with biblical reverence, it's advertised on TV in a hazy, golden-hour glow, and every other greetings card carries a hilarious reference to the booze-addled nature of the recipient. It is both normalised and celebrated, despite being the fifth greatest risk factor for death in the UK. Now, a group of major medical and health organisations have signed a letter to the Prime Minister calling for alcohol to carry explicit warnings that its consumption can cause cancer. The World Cancer Research Fund, which spearheaded the letter, cited 'shockingly low' public awareness that alcohol raises the risk of seven types of cancer – these being breast, bowel, stomach, head, neck, liver and mouth – and insisted that 'bold and unambiguous labelling' is urgently need to help save lives. Token efforts have long been made by the industry to toe a wavering line of responsibility – the number of units a bottle of wine contains written in a font the size of a gnat's IKEA instructions, or a glancing mention that pregnant women shouldn't drink. According to the Advertising Standards Authority, 'Lively, but responsible, social interaction or party scenes with alcohol present are allowed but…no behaviour may be adolescent or childish.' If only that diktat held true in real-life 'party scenes.' Initially, like much of Gen X and our wine-necking Boomer parents, I was resistant to the idea of cancer warnings. If I wanted to slowly kill myself in a responsible and socially acceptable manner, I felt it should be my choice to do so. But after another night of drinking slightly too much with friends, waking bathed in shame and a light prosecco sweat, I reconsidered. Women, particularly, are at risk of harm from alcohol, simply because we're smaller. If every time I picked up the wine bottle to top up my glass – over a healthy dinner! So civilised! – it reminded me that I was increasing my risk of cancer, I suspect I might put it back down. Humans like to ignore the dangers when it's something we want to do until it becomes impossible to turn a blind eye. But this time, it's not so much the consumers resisting warnings as the enormously powerful drinks industry. It's already up against Gen Z's wellbeing crusade, with a tsunami of kumbucha and kefir washing away the old-school shots and spirits from nights out. The risk of drinkers murmuring, 'Actually, I don't think I do want seven types of cancer' and switching the kettle on instead is a step too far. A spokesperson for the Portman Group, which oversees UK alcohol labelling in the UK, says: 'Whilst we do not dispute the link between alcohol and certain cancers… blanket cancer warning labels…can create unnecessary anxiety, eroding trust in health advice and alienating the very people who require support.' As an argument, this is weaker than a sixth-form debating point scribbled on the bus. Imagine the motor industry saying, 'Road signs create unnecessary anxiety. Let's not warn people that they might crash, lest we alienate drivers.' The spokesperson added that most alcohol products already include advice to limit drinking to 14 units a week, and claimed that 'most people drink within guidelines.' According to NHS Digital, however, 24 per cent of Brits drink more than this, while the charity Drinkaware has found that 32 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women regularly sink more than the recommended limit – and it is a limit, not a target. Doctors repeatedly warn that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, and in April, the World Health Organisation advised that women should drink no alcohol at all to avoid a heightened risk of breast cancer. I'm aware that even reading this is annoying. I share the general British resentment over finger-wagging admonishments from the Fun Police. I want to say, 'You'll prise my Picpoul from my cold, dead hand.' The only thing is, I'd rather not be cold and dead – and I'm increasingly convinced that warning labels can only be a good thing. Although, of course, we must be careful how we approach this new regime. After all, we wouldn't want to alienate anybody.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Putting cancer warnings on alcohol would help me drink less
Back in the early noughties, the indoor smoking ban led to an outcry over 'the nanny state'. The same happened when cigarette advertising was banned, and when manufacturers were required to plaster packs with images of diseased lungs. Yet over the past 40 years, according to Cancer Research, lung cancer rates in men have dropped by around 60 per cent. We may think we crave the rugged freedoms of the Marlboro Man, but given the facts, it turns out we don't actually want to die. And yet when it comes to alcohol, one of the world's biggest killers, a key driver of cancers, heart disease, strokes and obesity, there are no images of rotting livers on the chilled Sauvignon. The presentation of booze in the supermarket aisles is as benign as kitchen roll and chicken pie. It's described on restaurant menus with biblical reverence, it's advertised on TV in a hazy, golden-hour glow, and every other greetings card carries a hilarious reference to the booze-addled nature of the recipient. It is both normalised and celebrated, despite being the fifth greatest risk factor for death in the UK. Now, a group of major medical and health organisations have signed a letter to the Prime Minister calling for alcohol to carry explicit warnings that its consumption can cause cancer. The World Cancer Research Fund, which spearheaded the letter, cited 'shockingly low' public awareness that alcohol raises the risk of seven types of cancer – these being breast, bowel, stomach, head, neck, liver and mouth – and insisted that 'bold and unambiguous labelling' is urgently need to help save lives. Token efforts have long been made by the industry to toe a wavering line of responsibility – the number of units a bottle of wine contains written in a font the size of a gnat's IKEA instructions, or a glancing mention that pregnant women shouldn't drink. According to the Advertising Standards Authority, 'Lively, but responsible, social interaction or party scenes with alcohol present are allowed but…no behaviour may be adolescent or childish.' If only that diktat held true in real-life 'party scenes.' Initially, like much of Gen X and our wine-necking Boomer parents, I was resistant to the idea of cancer warnings. If I wanted to slowly kill myself in a responsible and socially acceptable manner, I felt it should be my choice to do so. But after another night of drinking slightly too much with friends, waking bathed in shame and a light prosecco sweat, I reconsidered. Women, particularly, are at risk of harm from alcohol, simply because we're smaller. If every time I picked up the wine bottle to top up my glass – over a healthy dinner! So civilised! – it reminded me that I was increasing my risk of cancer, I suspect I might put it back down. Humans like to ignore the dangers when it's something we want to do until it becomes impossible to turn a blind eye. But this time, it's not so much the consumers resisting warnings as the enormously powerful drinks industry. It's already up against Gen Z's wellbeing crusade, with a tsunami of kumbucha and kefir washing away the old-school shots and spirits from nights out. The risk of drinkers murmuring, 'Actually, I don't think I do want seven types of cancer' and switching the kettle on instead is a step too far. A spokesperson for the Portman Group, which oversees UK alcohol labelling in the UK, says: 'Whilst we do not dispute the link between alcohol and certain cancers… blanket cancer warning labels…can create unnecessary anxiety, eroding trust in health advice and alienating the very people who require support.' As an argument, this is weaker than a sixth-form debating point scribbled on the bus. Imagine the motor industry saying, 'Road signs create unnecessary anxiety. Let's not warn people that they might crash, lest we alienate drivers.' The spokesperson added that most alcohol products already include advice to limit drinking to 14 units a week, and claimed that 'most people drink within guidelines.' According to NHS Digital, however, 24 per cent of Brits drink more than this, while the charity Drinkaware has found that 32 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women regularly sink more than the recommended limit – and it is a limit, not a target. Doctors repeatedly warn that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, and in April, the World Health Organisation advised that women should drink no alcohol at all to avoid a heightened risk of breast cancer. I'm aware that even reading this is annoying. I share the general British resentment over finger-wagging admonishments from the Fun Police. I want to say, 'You'll prise my Picpoul from my cold, dead hand.' The only thing is, I'd rather not be cold and dead – and I'm increasingly convinced that warning labels can only be a good thing. Although, of course, we must be careful how we approach this new regime. After all, we wouldn't want to alienate anybody.
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
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Better alcohol regulation will save lives and money
You are right to argue that rising alcohol harm must be addressed in the government's 10-year health plan (The Guardian view on alcohol and public health: the drinks industry must not control the narrative, 1 June). If ministers are 'staking their reputation on economic growth', they need to deal head-on with one of the biggest drivers of premature death and lost productivity, while ignoring spurious claims made by alcohol companies whose profits have for too long trumped public health. Alcohol harm costs England at least £27bn a year – almost double what the Treasury collects in alcohol duty. These harms aren't incidental to the alcohol market; they are intrinsic to it. While the industry promotes 'moderate drinking', evidence shows that its profits and growth depend on the heaviest drinkers. It's no coincidence that Diageo's CEO recently described moderation as the industry's 'biggest disrupter'. Policies that reduce alcohol consumption are consistently shown to be sound investments, recommended by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Bank and the World Health Organization. In Scotland, the introduction of minimum unit pricing (MUP) led to a 13% drop in alcohol-specific deaths and a 4% fall in hospital admissions. If adopted in England, MUP could reduce premature mortality while saving the NHS millions and help create a healthier workforce. England urgently needs a national alcohol strategy. Bold, evidence-based measures like MUP must be at its core, with commercial vested-interest groups kept at the Katherine SeveriChief executive, Institute of Alcohol Studies • Your editorial reflects the serious concerns that we at World Cancer Research Fund and many other organisations have around the ineffectiveness of England's alcohol regulation. The evidence shows that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption when it comes to cancer risk. And there are around 17,000 alcohol-related cancer cases in the UK every year, as well as 200 other associated health conditions caused by alcohol. In our Cancer Prevention Action Week (23-29 June), we will showcase polling that highlights the chasm between public perception about alcohol and cancer risks. We want the public to have correct health information at their disposal so they can understand their cancer risks and make informed choices. Now is the time for direct action. The UK government urgently needs to join the dots on regulation around alcohol marketing and labelling. We urge members of the public to do their part and sign our petition to advocate with us for better regulation in England. Dr Giota Mitrou Executive director of research and policy, World Cancer Research Fund • Nearly half of UK adults now drink alcohol-free products, and our research shows that 68% of them use these drinks to cut down on alcohol. But despite this momentum, outdated labelling rules are holding people back. For over a decade, governments have delayed a straightforward change: allowing drinks at or below 0.5% ABV to be labelled 'alcohol-free'. This is already the international standard and reflects the reality – drinks at this level contain no more alcohol than a ripe banana, sourdough bread or even some soft drinks. Yet UK producers are still forced to use the term 'low alcohol' for these drinks, confusing consumers and deterring many from trying WilloughbyCo-founder, Club Soda
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Women shouldn't drink alcohol, say scientists. These are the facts
We cling tightly to the studies that say the odd glass of red is healthy, reminding us how it's packed with polyphenols and brings down your stress levels to boot. But in April, the World Cancer Research Fund ruled that women should be avoiding alcohol just as strenuously as cigarettes as 'any amount of alcohol increases breast cancer risk'. With the average British woman drinking nine units of alcohol each week, this is bad news. These days we cringe when we see characters in old movies pull out the cigarettes at the first hint of drama. It might have been normal decades ago, but we have come to see smoking as a habit that's uniquely bad for our health. Now, scientists believe that our favourite national pastime could be just as dangerous, for women at least. Here is what we know and how much you can get away with drinking without significantly raising your risk. It's not what any of us want to hear, but alcohol is 'a known carcinogen,' says Britta Stordal, an associate professor in cancer research at Middlesex University. When you drink alcohol, 'your body turns it into acetaldehyde, which is a compound known to cause cancer,' she explains. For this reason, 'any amount of alcohol that you drink increases your risk of cancer'. The World Cancer Research Fund has advised that to reduce our risk of bowel cancer, we should restrict alcohol; however, to reduce breast cancer risk, women should avoid alcohol entirely. The reality is that drinking alcohol is especially likely to lead to breast cancer rather than other cancers. 'Alcohol is turned into acetaldehyde primarily in your liver, but this process can also happen inside of breast tissue,' Prof Stordal says. 'We also know that drinking alcohol increases your oestrogen levels, which can also increase cancer risk in women.' There is a 'dose response' involved in breast cancer risk, says Dr Harriet Rumgay, an epidemiologist at the World Health Organization in its international agency for research on cancer. This means that 'the more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk,' she says. Though smoking is 'still much more harmful to us than alcohol when it comes to all of the consequences for your health, the evidence does say that women should try to limit their alcohol consumption as much as possible to reduce their breast cancer risk, as 8 per cent of all breast cancer cases in women are attributable to drinking [alcohol],' Dr Rumgay says. Women who drink two bottles of wine a week are at a 27 per cent greater risk of developing breast cancer than women who don't drink, says Dr Rumgay. Of 100 women who drink two bottles of wine every week, around 14 would develop breast cancer over the course of their lives, not taking into account factors like weight, genetic risk and whether or not they smoke. This compares with the number of non-drinking women who will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives, a figure that's at 11 in 100. If you're keen on wine, you might like to have a large glass most nights with dinner, bringing you up to at least two bottles of wine drunk each week. In units, that's equivalent to nine pints of beer or cider throughout the week, or nine double-shot cocktails. According to the World Health Organization, drinking two bottles of wine a week is in 'the middle category of risk, rather than being judged as high risk,' says Dr Rumgay. For a postmenopausal woman, however, drinking in this way could lead to 'a 27 per cent higher risk of developing breast cancer,' says Dr Rumgay. Postmenopausal women are affected differently to premenopausal women when it comes to breast cancer risk. Scientists are still trying to determine why that is. 'It might just be a fact of age, because as you age, your cells have more of a chance to divide and mutate, leading to cancer,' says Dr Rumgay. 'But postmenopausal women also have different amounts of hormones in their systems. For these women, drinking alcohol could be more likely to cause breast cancer, because the increase in oestrogen that comes with drinking alcohol causes more cell proliferation, where your body's cells divide to produce more of themselves. Whenever this happens, there is the risk that one of those cells will mutate and become cancerous.' Women who drink 14 units of alcohol a week are at a 22 per cent greater risk of developing breast cancer than women who don't drink, says Dr Rumgay. Of 100 women who drink 14 units of alcohol every week, around 14 would develop breast cancer over the course of their lives, not taking into account factors like weight, genetic risk and whether or not they smoke. One in seven women in Britain drink more than 14 units a week, the 'low-risk' guideline set by the Government, and they are at a 22 per cent greater risk of developing breast cancer than women who don't drink. Drinking 14 units of alcohol every week, equivalent to six medium glasses of wine, would give you a 14.4 per cent chance of developing breast cancer over the course of your life, not including other factors like genetic risk, weight and whether or not you smoke. But what about the much-quoted government advice that 14 units a week is the safe limit on drinking for women? When it comes to breast cancer risk, 'this is quite outdated advice,' says Prof Stordal. 'I suspect that the 14-unit guideline doesn't properly take cancer risk into account. Instead it's likely based more on issues like liver damage, and is a combination of what the health research suggests is sensible and what people are already doing in a specific country.' Canada has recently introduced alcohol guidelines that explain the increased risk of cancer with the number of units that you consume. 'I'd love to see the UK bring this in instead, just so that people can be aware,' says Prof Stordal. 'I certainly didn't know about the extent of the risk for a long time.' According to Alcohol Change UK, just one drink per day (1.25 units) can increase your breast cancer risk by 7 per cent. Smoking, either regularly or occasionally, leads to a 7 per cent increased risk of breast cancer, and of 100 women that currently smoke, 12 will develop breast cancer over the course of their lives. 'Smoking is worse for your health for a huge number of reasons, however, so I wouldn't want people to think that it's safer to smoke than to drink,' says Dr Rumgay. Women who drink a small glass of wine every day, equivalent to around 10 units a week, are at a 15 per cent greater risk of developing breast cancer than women who don't drink, says Dr Rumgay. Of 100 women who have a small glass of wine every day, around 13 would develop breast cancer over the course of their lives, not taking into account factors like weight, genetic risk and whether or not they smoke. Much alcohol risk research looks at everyday drinking. The facts are in: having a single drink a day, four times or more each week, can lead to a 20 per cent greater risk of early death. When it comes to breast cancer, the risks escalate further. A report by the American Institute for Cancer Research found in 2017 that one glass of wine a day increased the risk of cancer by 9 per cent in postmenopausal women, and by 5 per cent in premenopausal women. Studies such as this tend to use the WHO's definition of a standard drink: a drink containing 10g of pure alcohol, equivalent to a small glass of wine. So having just one tiny glass a day could be having a big impact on your health, and while it may keep you from being too tipsy, 'there's not enough evidence to say whether having food with your wine is any better for your cancer risk, though this is something that research could tell us in the future,' says Dr Rumgay. Women who drink eight double-shot cocktails or eight medium glasses of wine over the course of a weekend are at a 24 per cent greater risk of developing breast cancer than women who don't drink, says Dr Rumgay. Of 100 women who have eight drinks of this size every weekend, around 14 would develop breast cancer over the course of their lives, not taking into account factors such as weight, genetic risk and whether or not they smoke. Women who drink four of these drinks over the course of a weekend, meanwhile, are at a 12 per cent greater risk of developing breast cancer than women who don't drink. Of 100 women who have four drinks of this size every weekend, around 13 would develop breast cancer over the course of their lives. While having alcohol-free days can improve your health, there are added dangers to drinking large amounts of alcohol in one sitting, says Dr Rumgay. One study she worked on in the past found that 'the risk of breast cancer was increased by 40 per cent in women that had had any occasion of heavy episodic drinking in the year leading up to the research,' she says. We might not think of it as such, but the WHO classes 'heavy episodic drinking' or binge drinking as consuming 60g of pure alcohol or more in a single drinking session. That's equivalent to just over two large glasses of wine. Research into the effects of weekend-only drinking is still ongoing, but 'premenopausal women who binge drink seem to be twice as likely to develop breast cancer,' says Prof Stordal. 'There is some confidence in the notion that having this carcinogenic compound in your system in high concentrations after a weekend of drinking could be more dangerous compared with having the same quantity over the course of a longer period.' Women who have one drink three times a week are at a 9 per cent greater risk of developing breast cancer than women who don't drink, says Dr Rumgay. Of 100 women who have one drink three times a week, around 12 would develop breast cancer over the course of their lives, not including other factors like genetic risk, weight and whether or not they smoke. Having a break between the days that you visit the pub or have a glass of wine with your dinner is certainly good for your health, says Dr Rumgay. 'Drinking frequently can lead to systemic inflammation of the body,' she explains. 'If you cut the number of days that you drink, or spread them out, then it's possible that your body has more time to recover from this inflammatory state, which could potentially avoid increasing your risk of cancer.' Even this amount of alcohol can increase your cancer risk, however. Another study that Dr Rumgay worked on found that 'having just half a standard drink every day increases breast cancer risk by 4 per cent,' she says. Women who have one drink once a week are at a 3 per cent greater risk of developing breast cancer than women who don't drink, says Dr Rumgay. Of 100 women who have one drink a week, around 11 would develop breast cancer at some point in their lives, not taking into account other factors like genetic risk, weight and whether or not they smoke. The same amount of non-drinking women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives More than 40 per cent of women in Britain drink at least once a week. The effects of having one drink each week are hard to study, however, as 'most people either drink more than once a week or don't drink at all,' says Dr Rumgay. The numbers still show that even this much alcohol consumption can increase your risk of breast cancer – though you might see a 3 per cent increased risk as something you're willing to tolerate. Women who have one drink every other week are at a 2 per cent greater risk of developing breast cancer than women who don't drink, says Dr Rumgay. Of 100 women who have one drink a few times a month, around would develop breast cancer at some point in their lives, not taking into account other factors such as genetic risk, weight and whether or not they smoke. Again, there isn't a lot of research into this pattern of drinking, though 'any amount of alcohol still increases your risk of breast cancer,' says Dr Rumgay. 'The simple advice I always give is reduction,' says Prof Stordal. 'Whether that's cutting down to once a week or once every few weeks, whatever you can do will benefit you.' Women who have fewer than six drinks over the course of a whole year are 0.3 per cent more likely to develop breast cancer than women who don't drink. Of 100 women who have one drink fewer than six times a year, 11 would develop breast cancer at some point in their lives, not taking into account other factors like genetic risk, weight and whether or not they smoke. So while no amount of drinking is completely safe, you may be pleased to know that you can celebrate with a drink a few times a year and only increase your risk of breast cancer marginally, 'though the general consensus is that anything more than zero does raise your risk,' says Dr Rumgay. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
