On Monday, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) released the new draft Australian Guidelines to reduce potential health risks associated with drinking alcohol.
According to the new draft alcohol guidelines, healthy Australian men and women should drink no more than ten standard drinks a week to reduce the risk of health issues related to alcohol intake. They should also not drink more than four drinks on any one day.
Officials changed the guidelines from the previous guidelines that were released almost 10 years ago, which recommended drinking no more than two standard drinks a day.
The new guidelines also mentioned that some people, such as teenagers, pregnant women, and nursing mothers, should not drink at all.
The NHMRC found that at least one in 100 people who drink more than 10 standard drinks a week are at an increased risk of dying from an alcohol-related illness or injury.
Several studies have shown that there is a strong connection between alcohol intake and a variety of medical conditions, such as diabetes, liver disease, obesity, mental health issues, and seven types of cancers.
Although some studies have suggested that mild or moderate alcohol intake is good for your health, there is no conclusive evidence to support the findings of these studies. In fact, some quality studies have found that alcohol has no benefits for your health.
The new guidelines are aimed at healthy men and women, because in some people with existing health issues, even mild drinking increases the risk of health issues. So, the new recommendations are not for older people, teenagers, people with a family history of alcohol or drug abuse, and people with mental health issues.
A recent study conducted by Japanese researchers has found that even mild to moderate alcohol intake could increase the risk of cancer, suggesting that even light drinking for a longer duration could affect our health.
The new guidelines recommend that pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should stay away from drinking any amount of alcohol for the safety of their babies. That’s because we have clear evidence that alcohol affects the growth and development of the fetus, causing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).The risk of dying from alcohol-related illness increase if you drink more than 10 drinks a week.The new guidelines recommend that pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should stay away from drinking any amount of alcohol for the safety of their babies. That’s because we have clear evidence that alcohol affects the growth and development of the fetus, causing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
FASD causes a range of “physical, mental, behavioral, and learning” disabilities. The condition is incurable. So, if you want to enjoy your drink, follow the new guidelines to reduce the risk of alcohol-related health issues and injuries.
