West Midlands doctor calls for more awareness of link between alcohol and cancer
It's as 1 in 4 adults in the West Midlands think there are no health risks attached to drinking alcohol
A doctor from Nuneaton is leading a campaign to raise more awareness of the link between alcohol consumption and cancer.
It's as figures from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) reveal just 1 in 14 people are able to name cancer as a health risk of drinking.
Dr Richard Cooke, who is now a researcher in alcohol psychology at the University of Stafford, is calling on government to introduce a National Alcohol Strategy for England.
He says much has changed since the last strategy in 2012.
"We've had major changes in our understanding since 2012. We know much more about cancer than we did and I think alcohol trends have changed quite a lot as well," he said.
"We still had this very strong belief it was young people we should be focussing on, but actually, lots of heavy drinking takes place among middle aged groups - particularly men."
Stats also reveal just under 1 in 4 adults in the West Midlands think there are no health risks associated with drinking alcohol, while only 1 in 7 adults in the region feel comfortable talking about their relationship with alcohol.
Dr Richard said there is still a gap between new evidence on the link between alcohol and cancer and public awareness.
"Since about 2013/14 the evidence has really been stacking up, and I think there's a natural gap between when people take on board new information," he said.
"It just takes a bit of time to sink in and for people to be aware of new findings."
The WCRF said about 4% of cancer cases in the UK are attributed to alcohol, meaning that each year, around 17,000 people are diagnosed with cancer caused by alcohol.
According to the charity, alcohol-related cancers cost the NHS alone an estimated £100 million annually.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:
"Drinking alcohol increases the risk of a range of health issues, including several cancers. That is why we recommend people drink within the UK Chief Medical Officers alcohol guidelines of fewer than 14 units a week, and strongly recommend these are displayed clearly on all alcohol products.
“We recognise the need for more action on the impact of alcohol on health; for too long there has been an unwillingness to lead on this issue.
“Our Plan for Change will shift healthcare towards prevention, including through early intervention, to support people to live longer, healthier lives across the UK.”