Recommended alcohol limit SLASHED as men are warned to cut 7 UNITS to reduce cancer risk

NEW alcohol guidelines have been issued for men, slashing the recommended amount by a third.

 

The new recommendation limits men to seven pints a week

 

The new limit, issued by Government, has dropped from 21 units to 14 units a week for males – the same recommendation for women, claiming that the new recommendations will reduce the risk of cancer.

The new total of 14 units is the equivalent of seven pints.

However, they urge drinkers not to “save up” the 14 units for one day, and spread it across at least three days.

 

The Government recommends you spread this out over at least three days

 

Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer for England, said: “Drinking any level of alcohol regularly carries a health risk for anyone, but if men and women limit their intake to no more than 14 units a week it keeps the risk of illness like cancer and liver disease low.

“What we are aiming to do with these guidelines is give the public the latest and most up to date scientific information so that they can make informed decisions about their own drinking and the level of risk they are prepared to take.

 



A young man drinking at a bar



 

“I want pregnant women to be very clear that they should avoid alcohol as a precaution. 

“Although the risk of harm to the baby is low if they have drunk small amounts of alcohol before becoming aware of the pregnancy, there is no ‘safe’ level of alcohol to drink when you are pregnant.”

 

Alcohol on display in a shop

 

The new UK Government guidelines, which are the first updates in 20 years, were chaired by Mark Petticrew, Professor of Public Health Evaluation at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and by Sally Macintyre, Professor Emeritus at the University of Glasgow.

Professor Petticrew said: “This new guidance has been based on a wide range of new evidence from this country and overseas. 

“We have reviewed all the evidence thoroughly and our guidance is firmly based on the science, but we also considered what is likely to be acceptable as a low risk level of drinking and the need to have a clear message.”