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Alcohol campaign highlights risks of drinking too much
February 06, 2012
A new government campaign aims to highlight the dangers of slightly exceeding the recommended limits for alcohol consumption.
Drinking just a little more than recommended could lead to serious illness, according to a new nationwide campaign.
The government has launched the campaign under its Change4Life initiative to expose the dangers associated with exceeding the recommended limits for alcohol consumption, even by a small amount.
Men are advised to drink no more than three to four units per day, while women should limit themselves to two to three units.
According to the campaign, drinking just two large glasses of wine or two pints of strong beer each day could double a person's risk of high blood pressure and treble their chances of developing mouth cancer.
However, research shows that many people are unaware of the risks of exceeding the guidelines, which also include an increased likelihood of breast cancer, bowel cancer and reduced fertility.
Health secretary Andrew Lansley said: "It can be easy to slip into the habit of having a few extra drinks each day, especially when drinking at home. But there can be serious health risks.
"That is why I am launching this campaign, to alert people that it is not just binge drinkers that damage their health."
Professor Dame Sally Davis, England's chief medical officer, urged people to use the Change4Life website's new online calculator to check how much they are drinking and cut down if necessary.
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