Alcohol Limits Cut To Reduce Risks To Health

[Arthur Little]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35255384

Oh well ... ... at least makes a refreshing change from continually being slagged~off by the "do-gooders"!

[Arthur Little]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35255384

Oh well ... ... at least it makes a refreshing change from continually being slagged~off by the "do-gooders"!

... moderation in ALL things, I say.

[andy222]

Too right Arthur.

[Iani]

Basically, if you like doing it, like eating it, like experiencing it - then it's bad for you.

If you hate doing it or it tastes like ...., then it's good for you.

Next

[Arthur Little]

Too right Arthur.

... thanks for your back-up, Andy.

[Arthur Little]

Basically, if you like doing it, like eating it, like experiencing it - then it's bad for you.

If you hate doing it or it tastes like ...., then it's good for you.

Next

Aye, ... about the size of it!

[Doc Alan]

UK Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines are just that - advice based on up to date evidence - out for consultation to the public until April 1 this year.


Sensible people - including healthcare workers - will make informed choices about alcohol consumption and " moderation " may well be their conclusion . Those who misuse alcohol may not be aware of, or ignore, the recommendations. Alcohol misuse is certainly costly - in health and to society - both in the UK and the Philippines, as elsewhere in the world.


The UK " unit " ( 10 ml / 8g of pure alcohol ), or " alcohol by volume " ( % of pure alcohol in a drink ), may not be well understood, a more vague alternative simply being " alcoholic drink " .


Main recommendations :-


1. Safest for men and women not to drink more than 14 units / week, preferably with " several " drink-free days a week.


2. Single drinking episodes - try to limit the amount consumed ( drinking more slowly, with food ) and ensure you can get home safely.


3.If pregnant, or planning a pregnancy, safest not to drink alcohol at all, keeping risks for the baby to a minimum.


My work involved diagnosis of illness, to ensure best treatment - I don’t make value judgements. It’s interesting to read Forum members’ opinions, and if you’re motivated, here’s the link to respond to the UK public consultation on keeping health risks from drinking alcohol to a low level :-



https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...guidelines.pdf

[grahamw48]

Well, my total consumption of alcohol amounted to one half of Guinness last year, so I'm probably in the safe zone.

[Terpe]

Might be more informative to see a table on risk analysis compared to other 'vices' or life activities.

ie:-
Smoking
Diet
Sports
Living in the inner city
Exposure to air pollution etc

Our world is a hazardous place to live.
Our individual lives incur multiple risks 24/7
All these risks can be quantified. Some may be eliminated but this just move others up the "risk-table"

Looking back in time we see that life expectancy has increased significantly. Does this mean that the sum of all the risks we are exposed to has decreased ?

If you're lucky enough to wake up after sleeping do you drink coffee? or tea?
Sugar or sweetner?
Or do you abstain and drink water instead? Is it chlorinated? That's a risk too.

How do you get to work? Walking, bicycle, bus or car ? all have associated risks.

Do you travel by air from time-to-time ? What's the risk of comic radiation exposure at 30,000 feet? Is it 40 time that at sea level? Are you bothered?

Maybe there's an amount of alcohol we can consume where the risk is zero but the 'scientists' can't measure that low, so it's easier to assume that every drink contributes to the total risk.
Sorry, doesn't make sense to me.

Excessive alcohol consumption MAY cause cirrhosis of the liver.
Moderate consumption MAY promote relaxation and reduce stress to give a good nights sleep. Maybe the positives of this outweigh the negatives ?

Whats the risk comparison?

I've now reached state pension age. What is risk to my life if I continue to drink alcohol compared to if I quit ?

Part of my job as a Railway Engineer on safety critical components was risk evaluation in failure mode and effects analysis

I've pretty much forgotten all that stuff and I'd imagine it's gotten much simpler now with technology and much smarter computers.

This post is just another of my ponderings. (ramblings if you prefer)

Justification if you like that I'll not be changing my habits when it comes to enjoying my beer

[Moy]

an alcoholic drink that is made from fermented grapes and therefore officially counts as a serving of fruit.

[grahamw48]

I have to admit... beer (and spirits) suddenly become more attractive to me when I'm in the Phils...and they're a fraction of the price they are here.

Thankfully I've managed to still steer clear of the cigs when there though.

[Michael Parnham]

an alcoholic drink that is made from fermented grapes and therefore officially counts as a serving of fruit.

Interesting point Moy!

[mickcant]

Well, my total consumption of alcohol amounted to one half of Guinness last year, so I'm probably in the safe zone.

Mine was zero so hopefully so too.
Mick.

[Terpe]

Mine was zero so hopefully so too.
Mick.

So what is your number one risk now Mick ?
And how is that quantified or rated against others ?

Just playing devils advocate.

[mickcant]

So what is your number one risk now Mick ?
And how is that quantified or rated against others ?

Just playing devils advocate.

Well I expect after my efforts at getting of the diabetic medication, and a healthier lifestyle, and getting rid of a car and walking everywhere, I will now be most at risk of being hit while walking by a car.
Mick.

[Arthur Little]

Well I expect after my efforts at getting off the diabetic medication, and a healthier lifestyle, and getting rid of a car and walking everywhere, I will now be most at risk of being hit while walking by a car.
Mick.

Nah, Mick! ... look on the bright side; if anything, ... ... your new lifestyle will enhance your safety alertness!

[Doc Alan]

The 43 pages of guidelines are intended for people in the UK as a whole, who wish to keep their risks to health from drinking alcohol at a low level. They define " low risk " drinking as giving you less than a 1% chance of dying from an alcohol-related condition. The table is courtesy of Prof David Spiegelhalter, who explains the dip in risk with minimal consumption is due to ischaemic stroke and heart disease reduction :-





( https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...hol_Report.pdf ).




A comprehensive risk analysis comparing alcohol with other influences - chosen and/or unavoidable - on life quality and expectancy would add considerably to the length of the guidelines. There’s more chance, for example, in the Philippines of cirrhosis from hepatitis B ( vaccine preventable ) than alcohol.



Other influences such as • risk factors for certain diseases, • high / low body weight, • current health problems, or • previous problems with alcohol could increase the risk of harm to health. Similarly, for women over 55, any protective effect from death from heart disease for low levels of drinking is likely to be offset if there are other risk factors, e.g. being overweight.


Younger adult drinkers and younger males, in particular, have higher acute risks from drinking.


Middle aged or older drinkers may have accumulated risks from long term drinking, may have more relevant health conditions and in old age may be more liable to falls.


Differences between men and women in the immediate risks of drinking are more relevant to younger than older adults.


Individuals should consider the guidelines in the light of their own individual characteristics – as well as their own attitudes to risk.


They may have already decided NOT to change their drinking habits whether or not they have read the guidelines - but people at least have the right to accurate information and clear advice, if they wish.


Of course if you’re not bothered and don’t read the guidelines you will remain none the wiser ! But for insight into life’s risks, then it’s vital to understand " RISK " - the probability of occurrence of an event. ABSOLUTE risk tells you what your chances are as a percentage. For example, increasing your risk from 1 in 100 to 2 in 100 is an expression of ABSOLUTE risk - in other words, chance. It’s often confused with RELATIVE risk, which depends on what your risk was to start with. So an increased alcohol intake resulting in 1% to 2% ABSOLUTE risk is a 100% RELATIVE risk increase. Similarly, life expectancy HAS increased over the years, but " QALY’S " ( quality adjusted life years ) take account of the fact that those extra years may be neither healthy nor happy.


The risks of ALL serious conditions and illnesses, and screening - from cancers to heart disease to obesity - may be found in other threads. It’s impossible in this Forum thread to compare such risks for the complete range of members, nor would I make value judgements about how you choose to live your lives. But you DO deserve to be well informed if you wish to compare and try to improve your chances of a healthy life .

[Ako Si Jamie]

Might be more informative to see a table on risk analysis compared to other 'vices' or life activities.

ie:-
Smoking
Diet
Sports
Living in the inner city
Exposure to air pollution etc

Relationships with British women ?