The Risk of Alcohol in Europe Bridging the Gap June 2004

1.The more alcohol an individual drinks, the greater the harm 2.Alcohol can reduce the risk of heart disease; a large amount increases the risk 3.The less a country drinks, the less the harm 4.A country that reduces its consumption reduces its harm 5.Alcohol causes nearly 1 in 10 of the burden of ill-health in Europe What I am going to say

1.The more alcohol an individual drinks, the greater the harm 2.Alcohol can reduce the risk of heart disease; a large amount increases the risk 3.The less a country drinks, the less the harm 4.A country that reduces its consumption reduces its harm 5.Alcohol causes nearly 1 in 10 of the burden of ill-health in Europe

Source: Wyllie et al 2000 The risk of getting into a physical fight

Source: Caetano & Cunradi 2002 The risk of being dependent on alcohol

The risk of liver cirrhosis Source: Corrao et al 1999

Source: Collaborative group on Hormonal factors in Breast Cancer, 2002 The incidence of breast cancer per 1,000 women

The risk of haemorrhagic stroke Source: Corrao et al 1999

Alcohol and social class differences in death

1.The more alcohol an individual drinks, the greater the harm 2.Alcohol can reduce the risk of heart disease; a large amount increases the risk 3.The less a country drinks, the less the harm 4.A country that reduces its consumption reduces its harm 5.Alcohol causes nearly 1 in 10 of the burden of ill-health in Europe

Source: Corrao et al. (2000) The risk of heart disease

Most of the benefit 5g a day, or one drink every second day The risk of heart disease Source: Corrao et al. (2000)

The risk of heart disease Source: Corrao et al. (2000)

Servings of vegetables per day. Male alumni, University of North Carolina (Barefoot et al 2002) Non-drinkers eat less vegetables

Exercise per week. Male alumni, University of North Carolina (Barefoot et al 2002) Non-drinkers take less exercise

Male depression and alcohol consumption Source: Rodgers et al 2000

Beverage type and heart protective biochemical changes Source: Sierksma 2003

1.The more alcohol an individual drinks, the greater the harm 2.Alcohol can reduce the risk of heart disease; a large amount increases the risk 3.The less a country drinks, the less the harm 4.A country that reduces its consumption reduces its harm 5.Alcohol causes nearly 1 in 10 of the burden of ill-health in Europe

Death from liver disease by per capita alcohol consumption; 15 European countries Source: Ramstedt 2001

The proportion of heavy drinkers by alcohol consumption; 8 English regions Source: Primatesta et al 2002

1.The more alcohol an individual drinks, the greater the harm 2.Alcohol can reduce the risk of heart disease; a large amount increases the risk 3.The less a country drinks, the less the harm 4.A country that reduces its consumption reduces its harm 5.Alcohol causes nearly 1 in 10 of the burden of ill-health in Europe

Reductions in male death rates when alcohol consumption reduced by 1 L; European countries with moderate consumption % reduction in death rate following reduction in per capita alcohol consumption of 1L per year Source: Norström & Skog 2001

Alcohol consumption and proportion of abstainers Source: Academy of Medical Sciences 2004

1.The more alcohol an individual drinks, the greater the harm 2.Alcohol can reduce the risk of heart disease; a large amount increases the risk 3.The less a country drinks, the less the harm 4.A country that reduces its consumption reduces its harm 5.Alcohol causes nearly 1 in 10 of the burden of ill-health in Europe

The top 5 risk factors for ill health and premature death, Europe Source: World Health Organization 2004

Alcohol is more important than diabetes or asthma Every adult drinker loses 1 week of healthy life each year due to alcohol Source: World Health Organization 2004

The cause of alcohol-related ill- health and premature death Source: World Health Organization 2004

Distribution of alcohol related costs to England Alcohol costs each English family over €2500 per year Source: UK Cabinet Office 2003

How to choose? [ Source: World Health Organization 2004

How to choose? [ Source: World Health Organization 2004

1.The more alcohol an individual drinks, the greater the harm 2.Alcohol can reduce the risk of heart disease; a large amount increases the risk 3.The less a country drinks, the less the harm 4.A country that reduces its consumption reduces its harm 5.Alcohol causes nearly 1 in 10 of the burden of ill-health in Europe What I said