Obese ‘should face drink limits’

GUIDELINE drinking limits should be set lower for fat people as alcohol causes them greater harm, experts say.

Overweight boozers who follow the UK’s recommendations of no more than 14 units a week are three times more likely to develop some cancers than those who are slim.

A University of Sydney study examined data on 400,000 UK adults aged between 40 and 69 and looked at how many developed alcohol-related cancer during a 12-year period. They found higher fat levels appeared to ‘amplify’ the harmful effects of alcohol. Compared to ‘never drinkers’ with the lowest body fat, those with the most fat who drank within alcohol limits were 53 per cent more likely to develop cancers including oral, throat, larynx, liver, bowel, stomach and breast.

But those with the least body fat who drank within limits were only 19 per cent more at risk.

People with the most fat who drank above limits were 61 per cent more likely to get cancer.