Wine, beer doubles mouth cancer risk

Cambodian Times (IANS) Sunday 5th February, 2012

Drinking two large glasses of wine or two strong pints of beer a day triples the risk of developing mouth cancer, Daily Mail reported Sunday.

Drinking over the recommended daily limit for alcohol increases the risk of serious health problems, according to a new government campaign.

Under the Change4Life banner the new adverts will also inform people about a new online calculator to work out how much they are drinking, the Mail said.

National Health Services (NHS) recommendations state men should not regularly drink more than three to four units a day, while women should not more than two to three.

Two million leaflets will be made available to Change4Life supporters and health professionals across England to get the message across, the newspaper said.

The campaign follows a survey of more than 2,000 people which found 85 percent do not realise drinking over recommended limits increases the risk of developing breast cancer.

Some 65 percent were unaware it increases the risk of bowel cancer, 63 percent did not know about a raised risk of pancreatitis and 59 percent had no idea excess drinking increases the risk of mouth, throat and neck cancer.

More than 30 percent did not realise that drinking just over the limits increases the risk of high blood pressure while 37 percent did not were unaware it can impact on fertility, the Mail said.