Drinking alcohol can put you at risk of developing 60 diseases and conditions, including many which were never previously linked boozing - a recent study has found. The consumption of alcohol accounted for in the region of three million deaths worldwide across 2016, and as part of a major study in China, researches have took it upon themselves to analyse the risks regarding boozing.
The harmful effects of binge drinking for certain diseases - including the likes of stroke, cirrhosis, and several types of cancer - are well known, but only a few studies have looked at the major impacts alcohol has on developing an extensive range of diseases and conditions.
Collaboratively, Oxford Population Health and Peking University last month published a brand-new study centred around the long-term health effects of consuming alcoholic beverages. Assessing information from China's Biobank systems, researches determined that 'among men, alcohol intake was associated with 61 diseases, including 33 not defined by the World Health Organization as alcohol-related'.
The Mirror reports that gout, cataracts, certain fractures and gastric ulcers are among the new developments related to regular alcohol consumption (a minimum of one drink per week). Published in Nature Medicine, the study found that men who drank alcohol on a regular basis had a significantly higher risk of developing a disease or condition, as well as experiencing more frequent hospitalisations than those who only drank occasionally.
Scientists found that drinking patterns like daily consumption or 'binge' episodes particularly also increased the risks of certain diseases - particularly liver cirrhosis. On the study, author Pek Kei Im, said: "Alcohol consumption is adversely related to a much wider range of diseases than has previously been established, and our findings show these associations are likely to be causal."
Professor Liming Li - who is a senior author and CKB co-PI from Peking University - added: "Levels of alcohol consumption are rising in China, particularly among men. This large collaborative study demonstrates a need to strengthen alcohol control policies in China.
Associate Professor at Oxford Population Health, Iona Milwood - who is also a senior author of the study - meanwhile explained: "It is becoming clear that the harmful use of alcohol is one of the most important risk factors for poor health, both in China and globally."
Diseases and conditions linked to alcohol consumption
- Tuberculosis
- Laryngeal cancer
- Oesophageal cancer
- Liver cancer
- Uncertain neoplasm
- Colon cancer
- Lung cancer
- Rectal cancer
- Other cancer
- Lip, oral cavity and pharynx cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Other anaemias
- Purpura and other haemorrhagic conditions
- Other metabolic disorders
- Diabetes melitus
- Less common psychiatric and behavioural conditions combined
- Epilepsy
- Transient cerebral ischaemic attacks
- Cataract
- Phlebitis and thrombophlebitis
- Cardiomyopathy
- Intracerebral haemorrhage
- Sequelae of cerebrovascular disease
- Hypertensive heart disease
- Essential (primary) hypertension
- Cerebral infarction
- Complications of heart disease
- Stroke, not specified
- Occlusion and stenosis of cerebral arteries
- Occlusion and stenosis of precerebral arteries
- Other cerebrovascular diseases
- Chronic ischaemic heart disease
- Less common circulatory diseases combined
- Unspecified chronic bronchitis
- Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Pneumonia
- Alcoholic liver disease
- Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver
- Other inflammatory liver diseases
- Abscess of anal and rectal regions
- Gastro−oesophageal reflux disease
- Gastric ulcer
- Other diseases of digestive system
- Other diseases of liver
- Pancreatitis
- Other local infections (skin/subcutaneous tissue)
- Osteonecrosis
- Gout
- Other arthrosis
- Abnormal results of function studies
- Malaise and fatigue
- Other ill−defined/unspecified mortality causes
- Unknown/unspecified morbidity causes
- Fracture of shoulder and upper arm
- Fracture of femur
- Fracture of rib(s)/sternum/thoracic spine
- Less common injury, poisoning and other external causes combined
- Intentional self−harm
- Falls
- Transport accidents
