According to the results of a survey carried out by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) at the University of Pennsylvania earlier in September, less than half of Americans report being aware that regularly drinking alcohol increases the risk of later developing cancer.
The survey was conducted with a panel of over 1,700 U.S. adults aged 18 years old and over, with 40% of survey respondents were aware that regularly consuming alcohol increases the chance of developing cancer later in life, 40% were not sure whether that is true, and 20% reported inaccurate beliefs (that drinking alcohol would have no effect on developing cancer or that it would decrease its risk).
“Public health messages about the risks associated with drinking alcohol have to overcome the effects of decades of sophisticated marketing and positive media portrayals,” said Patrick Jamieson, director of APPC’s Annenberg Health and Risk Communication Institute, in a news release.
Consuming any type of alcoholic drinks, including beer, wine, and liquor, is associated with an increased risk of cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the CDC, consuming alcohol can augment the risk of cancers of the mouth and throat, larynx, esophagus, colon and rectum, liver, and breast.
“Some studies show that drinking three or more alcoholic drinks per day increases the risk of stomach and pancreatic cancers. Drinking alcohol may also increase prostate cancer risk. All alcoholic drinks—including red and white wine, beer, and liquor—are linked with cancer. Drinking less alcohol is better for your health than drinking more,” states the CDC website on alcohol risk prevention.
It is thought that alcohol increases the risk of cancer since once consumed, the ethanol is metabolized into a potential carcinogen molecule acetaldehyde, which can damage the DNA, creating cancer cells. Furthermore, the fact sheet published by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) also notes that alcohol can increase blood levels of estrogen in women, leading to a higher risk of breast cancer, as well as impairing nutrient absorption and metabolism, also contributing to increased cancer risk.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults aged 21 years and older consume no more than one drink for women or two drinks per day for men, while data from the CDC shows that more than half of U.S. adults consume alcohol. Moreover, it also demonstrates that approximately 6% of U.S. adults drink heavily (consuming eight or more drinks a week for women and 15 or more for men), while 17% engage in binge drinking (consuming four or more drinks in one sitting for women and five or more for men).
