Concern over UK binge drinking

UK medical officials blame binge drinking for a dramatic increase in cirrhosis deaths

LONDON, England -- Drinking is killing far more young Britons than it did 30 years ago -- unlike most of Europe, which has seen a drop in such deaths.

Binge drinking is to blame for the dramatic rise in deaths from cirrhosis of the liver, UK Government medical officials have said. As a result, they are considering adding U.S.-style health warnings to alcohol.

The UK's annual health report showed men aged 35 to 44 dying from cirrhosis at a rate eight times that of the early 1970s. Women in the same age group showed a sevenfold increase.

In the 25 to 36 age group, both sexes showed a fourfold increase, said Professor Liam Donaldson, the government's chief medical officer.

"If this pattern of drinking is established over several years, then (young people) will be the liver transplants or even the liver deaths at an early age in the future," Donaldson said.

"This is not a moral message -- but it is a message of warning to young people particularly."

QUICKVOTE Do you worry you drink too much alcohol? Yes No View Results

As for health warnings on alcohol, Donaldson said: "It would have to be structured properly and before doing that we need to absolutely sure of the research. We should be working with the drinks industry, and it has always taken a helpful attitude -- unlike the tobacco industry."

Although the UK cirrhosis death rate for people under age 65 is below the European Union average, the British rate has climbed steadily since 1970 while the EU rate has been dropping, the report showed.

The EU average has gone from just over 13 deaths per 100,000 people in 1970 to just under 10 in 1997. Meanwhile, the UK rate has gone from just under 2 to more than 6 deaths per 100,000 over the same period.

In the UK, young women in particular are drinking more heavily than they did, developing cirrhosis in their 20s and 30s, Donaldson said.

In 1998, 10 percent of women were drinking more than the government's recommended weekly maximum of 14 units of alcohol. In 1998, that had grown to 15 percent.

By contrast, the number of men drinking above the recommended maximum of 21 units. One unit equals half a pint of beer, a small glass of wine or a measure of spirits.

The report also showed that 1,600 UK women now die each year from cirrhosis, compared to 1,200 seven years ago.

In 2000, cirrhosis killed more UK men than Parkinson's disease and more women than cervical cancer, the report showed.

In the UK, the group Alcohol Concern called for a 1 percent levy on what it said was the drink trade's £227 million spent on advertising every year, to boost the £1 million a year spent on the prevention and treatment of alcohol misuse.

"We need to think carefully about placing much greater emphasis on education and prevention if we are to get to grips with this damaging trend," said director Eric Appleby.

Jean Coussins, director of the drinks industry-funded Portman Group, said: "Too many young adults see sensible drinking and having a good time as mutually exclusive pursuits."