Change4life launches new campaign to encourage adults to drink less
Published on: 17th February 2012
A new Change4life campaign has been launched to encourage adults to reduce the amount of alcohol they drink to levels which pose less risk to their health.
The campaign warns that drinking more than the recommended limits can leave drinkers at risk from serious illnesses including heart disease, stroke and cancer.
It highlights that regularly drinking around two large glasses of wine or two strong pints of beer a day triples the risk of developing mouth cancer and doubles the risk of developing high blood pressure.
Dr Judith Hooper, Director of Public Health for NHS Kirklees and the council said, ”The Change4life campaign has a series of really important messages about alcohol and its effects. We know that regularly drinking more than the recommended limits will increase the chances of doing serious harm to your health. It’s that extra glass or two in the evening, most evenings that can do almost all the damage. The more you drink, the greater the risk. Drinking less now can make a big difference to your health later on. And for those who already have a medical condition (such as diabetes or high blood pressure) or are suffering from depression or anxiety, alcohol often makes life worse.”
“There are other benefits to cutting back the amount of alcohol you drink. You will probably feel less tired and have more energy during the day, your skin may start to look better and you may start to lose a little weight and feel in better shape.”
The guidelines recommend that women should not regularly drink more than 2 to 3 units of alcohol a day which is no more than a standard 175ml glass of wine. Men should not regularly drink more than 3 to 4 units of alcohol a day. That’s not much more than a pint of strong lager, beer or cider. (“Regularly” means drinking this amount most days or every day.)
New leaflets and information on the Change4life website give hints and tips on how drinkers can cut down on the amount they drink, such as having alcohol-free days, not ‘pre-loading’ (drinking at home before going out), swapping to low-alcohol or alcohol free drinks and using smaller glasses.
The new online calculator on the Change4Life website (www.nhs.uk/change4life) allows users to check how much they are drinking and work out whether they need to cut down.
Leaflets and other resources to help groups and organisations to help people to think about their drinking are available from the Public Health Resource Centre, NHS Kirklees. Please contact 01484464435 for more information. Details of services and support in Kirklees along with advice and information are also available at www.thinkaboutyourdrinking.com or you can join the debate about drinking at facebook.com/boozeandviews
