Reduce your drinking, reduce your risk of breast cancer, says HPA
The Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland (HPA) today put women and alcohol in the spotlight with a new campaign highlighting the link between alcohol and breast cancer. The campaign encourages women drinking above the daily recommended guidelines to reduce their alcohol intake.
Research conducted in 2008 found that 70% of women drink alcohol in Northern Ireland and 83% of these women exceeded the daily recommended guidelines at least once in the week prior to the research being carried out.¹ Over the past decade the proportion of women drinking above daily guidelines has increased.²
Speaking at the launch Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive of the HPA, said: “This campaign aims to increase awareness of the health risks associated with drinking alcohol, in particular the risk of developing breast cancer, which is one of the most common types of cancer among women in Northern Ireland. A global study of women’s drinking behaviour found that drinking above the recommended guidelines could increase the risk of developing breast cancer.³ Research suggests that the more a woman drinks the greater her risk of developing this disease.
“We know there are a number of factors which increase the chance of a woman developing breast cancer, some of these risk factors we have no control over, such as age and genes, but alcohol is one of the risk factors which we can control. Women can help to reduce their risk of breast cancer by reducing the amount of alcohol they drink and not exceeding the recommended daily guidelines of 2-3 units a day.”
Alcohol can also be linked to other cancers, not just breast cancer, and is the second highest risk factor for cancer of the throat and mouth. Drinking more than the recommended daily guidelines carries a number of other health risks, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, damage to the liver and pancreas, depression, weight gain and lowered resistance to infection.
Dr Seamus McAleer, Consultant in Clinical Oncology at Belfast City Hospital, said: “It is extremely important that we highlight ways in which women can protect their health and prevent the development of breast cancer. The link between alcohol and cancer is becoming much clearer so I am happy to endorse this campaign. The message is plain - reduce your drinking, reduce your risk.”
The campaign incorporates television, radio, outdoor and online advertising as well as a leaflet which will be inserted into popular magazines for the target group. The leaflet will also be available through GP surgeries, pharmacies and local Health and Social Care Trusts. Further information on the daily recommended guidelines can be found by visiting www.knowyourlimits.info
ENDS
Notes to the editor:
The launch will take place on Wednesday 4 March at 10:30am and a media facility will be available from 11:15am at the HPA, 18 Ormeau Avenue, Belfast, when
Dr Brian Gaffney, HPA, and Dr Seamus McAleer, Consultant Oncologist, Belfast City Hospital, will be available for interview.
¹ Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Adult drinking patterns in Northern Ireland 2008. Belfast: DHSSPS, December 2008.
² Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Continuous Household Survey. Belfast: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Available at http://www.csu.nisra.gov.uk/survey.asp141.htm. Accessed 3 March 2009.
³ Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer (2002) Alcohol, tobacco and breast cancer – collaborative reanalysis of individual data from 53 epidemiological studies, including 58,515 women with breast cancer and 95,067 women without the disease. British Journal of Cancer 87:1234-1245.
For media enquiries contact:
The HPA Press Office on Tel: 028 9031 1611.
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As from 1 April 2009 all Health Promotion Agency responsibilities have been transferred to the