Middle-aged wine drinkers are urged to have days off

MIDDLE-AGED people who enjoy a glass of wine with their dinner should abstain from alcohol on certain days during the week, Public Health England (PHE) has said.

Health chiefs will today launch a “Drink-free days” campaign that will target regular drinkers, amid fears that health risks are “creeping” up on them.

Middle-aged drinkers, who often visit the pub after work, have a glass of wine over dinner and consume alcohol while watching sporting events, are said to be most at peril.

A Yougov poll found that one in five UK adults was drinking above the chief medical officer’s low-risk drinking guidelines.

More than two thirds admitted that they would find cutting down on alcohol harder to do than other healthy lifestyle changes such as diet improvements, exercising or quitting smoking.

A series of announcements by health chiefs has recently attracted criticism for promoting a so-called “nanny state”.

Dame Sally Davies, England’s chief medical officer, was criticised in 2016 for telling MPS that women should think about the risk of breast cancer before deciding to have a glass of red wine. She later apologised, saying the warning was “badly worded”.

Last year, the recommended weekly drinking limits were sharply reduced for men, from 21 units down to 14, which brought them in line with those for women.

The campaign, jointly launched by PHE and charity Drinkaware, encourages people to adopt “a few drink-free days” every week in order to reduce the risk of poor health.

Elaine Hindal, Drinkaware’s chief executive, said: “The more you drink, the greater the risk to your health. It’s really that simple. But an increasing

number of people, particularly middleaged drinkers, are drinking in ways that are putting them at risk of serious and potentially life-limiting conditions, such as heart disease, liver disease and some types of cancer.

“That’s where this campaign comes in, and we’re delighted to be joining forces with Public Health England for the first time to help to give people that knowledge.”

Duncan Selbie, the chief executive of Public Health England, said: “Many of us enjoy a drink but – whether it’s a few in the pub after work a couple of times a week, some beers on the sofa watching the football, or a regular glass of wine with our dinner – it’s all too easy to let our drinking creep up on us.”

He added: “While the link with liver disease is well known, many people are not aware that alcohol can cause numerous other serious health problems, such as high blood pressure and heart disease, as well as several cancers.”

Drinking alcohol regularly can also increase the number of calories consumed, and can contribute to weight gain and obesity.

John Barnes, the former England and Liverpool footballer, has lent his support to the campaign.

He said: “This campaign highlights how many of us don’t realise that we are drinking in ways that could be harming our health, and how we are struggling to moderate our intake.

“A beer here and a glass of wine there might not seem like much, but the units can add up, and so too can the health risks.

“Having a few more days a week that are drink-free is a great way of taking control of our drinking, and making healthier choices for the future.”