Technoglitch
Core Member
The dangers of alcohol consumption are not unknown to us. Fatty liver disease, liver cirrhosis are a few diseases associated with excessive alcohol consumption apart from the toll it takes on one’s social and psychological well-being. Previous studies have linked alcohol consumption to serious conditions like lung disorders and muscle weakening. And, now a new study conducted across 11 countries including India, claims that it also increases the risk of cancer and injuries.
For the study, researchers analysed the links between alcohol consumption and clinical outcomes in prospective groups of individuals aged 37-70 years across 11 countries at different economic levels in five continents. The countries were sorted as high-income countries (HICs) which included Sweden and Canada, upper-middle-income countries (UMICs) – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Poland, South Africa, and Turkey, lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) -China and Colombia; and LICs included India and Zimbabwe. Out of 114,970 adults that were studies, 12,904 (11 percent) were from HICs, 24,408 (21 percent) were from UMICs, 48,845 (43 percent) were from LMICs, and 28,813 (25 percent) were from LICs.
The follow-up of subjects was done for 4.3 years on an average and current drinking was associated with 31 percent of individuals. The study found that drinking reduced the risk of heart attack by 24% b7t there was o reduction in the risk of mortality or stroke. Drinking also increased the risk of alcohol-related cancers – of the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, colorectum, liver, breast, ovary, and head and neck by 51% and also increased the risk of injury by 29%. All the combination of outcomes studied together, there was no benefit from alcohol use, but, high alcohol intake and heavy episodic drinking were both associated with significant increase in risk of overall mortality.
The researchers also studied the difference between countries of different income levels and the risk of developing all clinical outcome analysed in the study (ie, mortality, cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart attack, cancer, injury, and admission to hospital). For higher income countries including HICs/UMICs, drinking was associated with 16% reduced risk of these combinations whereas, for LMICs and LICs the risk increased by 38%. Lead author Andrew Smyth of the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI), McMaster University in Canada said that the data from the study supports the need of increasing global awareness about the hazards of harmful use of alcohol and also the need to further identify the risks associated with harmful and excessive alcohol use. oC-author Salim Yusuf, Director of PHRI and President of World Heart Federation further explained that since the use of alcohol is increasing especially in lICs, the importance of alcohol as a risk factor for disease might be underestimated.
‘Our data support the call to increase global awareness of the importance of harmful use of alcohol and the need to further identify and target the modifiable determinants of harmful alcohol use,’ said lead author Andrew Smyth of the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI), McMaster University in Canada. ‘Because alcohol consumption is increasing in many countries, especially in LICs/LMICs, the importance of alcohol as a risk factor for disease might be underestimated,’ said co-author Salim Yusuf, Director of PHRI and President of World Heart Federation.
Alcohol intake increases risk of mortality & cancer by 38% in India | Read Health News & Articles at TheHealthSite.com
For the study, researchers analysed the links between alcohol consumption and clinical outcomes in prospective groups of individuals aged 37-70 years across 11 countries at different economic levels in five continents. The countries were sorted as high-income countries (HICs) which included Sweden and Canada, upper-middle-income countries (UMICs) – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Poland, South Africa, and Turkey, lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) -China and Colombia; and LICs included India and Zimbabwe. Out of 114,970 adults that were studies, 12,904 (11 percent) were from HICs, 24,408 (21 percent) were from UMICs, 48,845 (43 percent) were from LMICs, and 28,813 (25 percent) were from LICs.
The follow-up of subjects was done for 4.3 years on an average and current drinking was associated with 31 percent of individuals. The study found that drinking reduced the risk of heart attack by 24% b7t there was o reduction in the risk of mortality or stroke. Drinking also increased the risk of alcohol-related cancers – of the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, colorectum, liver, breast, ovary, and head and neck by 51% and also increased the risk of injury by 29%. All the combination of outcomes studied together, there was no benefit from alcohol use, but, high alcohol intake and heavy episodic drinking were both associated with significant increase in risk of overall mortality.
The researchers also studied the difference between countries of different income levels and the risk of developing all clinical outcome analysed in the study (ie, mortality, cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart attack, cancer, injury, and admission to hospital). For higher income countries including HICs/UMICs, drinking was associated with 16% reduced risk of these combinations whereas, for LMICs and LICs the risk increased by 38%. Lead author Andrew Smyth of the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI), McMaster University in Canada said that the data from the study supports the need of increasing global awareness about the hazards of harmful use of alcohol and also the need to further identify the risks associated with harmful and excessive alcohol use. oC-author Salim Yusuf, Director of PHRI and President of World Heart Federation further explained that since the use of alcohol is increasing especially in lICs, the importance of alcohol as a risk factor for disease might be underestimated.
‘Our data support the call to increase global awareness of the importance of harmful use of alcohol and the need to further identify and target the modifiable determinants of harmful alcohol use,’ said lead author Andrew Smyth of the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI), McMaster University in Canada. ‘Because alcohol consumption is increasing in many countries, especially in LICs/LMICs, the importance of alcohol as a risk factor for disease might be underestimated,’ said co-author Salim Yusuf, Director of PHRI and President of World Heart Federation.
Alcohol intake increases risk of mortality & cancer by 38% in India | Read Health News & Articles at TheHealthSite.com
