Language: English
This service contains links to third party websites. EPG Patient Direct is not in a position to verify this information and cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the content contained.
12 Jun 2008
The head of parliamentary affairs for UK-based charity Alcohol Concern has warned that conflicting messages regarding alcohol consumption risk causing mass public confusion.
Information about the health benefits and risks associated with drinking alcohol is widely reported, however, research findings and recommendations from healthcare professionals are not always consistent.
"Successive surveys have shown that only a very tiny minority of people attempt to keep track of how much they drink, or are able to keep track of how much they drink," Frank Soodeen commented.
According to the Department of Health, women should not regularly exceed two to three units of alcohol a day and men should not drink more than three to four units.
The consumption of more than six units a day for women and eight units a day for men is classified as binge drinking.
Excessive intake of alcohol or binge drinking over a period of time can lead to alcoholic liver disease, which can be fatal. Figures show that liver disease is the most common cause of alcohol-related death.
In contrast, a recent survey from the Karolinska Institute discovered that regularly drinking small amounts of alcohol could help reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
The report suggested that for those who consumed the equivalent of five glasses of wine each week were 50 per cent less likely to develop the condition than those who drank less.
More health newsClick here to visit the Arthritis Quick Guide
Delicious
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
