There is no safe level of alcohol consumption, big global study finds – contradicting doctors’ advice that light drinking is safe and even good for health
Cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, pancreatitis and respiratory infections all more likely if you have even one alcoholic drink a day, heavyweight study concludes. ‘The widely held view of the health benefits of alcohol needs revising,’ its lead author says
There is no safe level of alcohol, a new study concludes – upending previous guidance that low levels of consumption can be safe, and even beneficial to health.
“Alcohol is a colossal global health issue and small reductions in health-related harms at low levels of alcohol intake are outweighed by the increased risk of other health-related harms, including cancer,” wrote Dr Robyn Burton of King’s College London, in a commentary.
Having one alcoholic drink a day, containing 10 grams of pure alcohol (an average 100ml glass of wine, half a pint of beer, or 30ml of spirits, for example) increases the risk of developing a range of illnesses including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory infections and pancreatitis compared to not drinking at all.
Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the peer-reviewed, observational study collated research from hundreds of researchers whose work focuses on alcohol to estimate how common drinking is worldwide.
