Quit drinking always quit?

Alcohol consumption is among the top ten risk factors for global disease
.
Alcohol consumption is associated with a higher risk of several diseases in a dose-response manner, such as several types of cancer and cirrhosis, as well as vehicle accidents and (un)intentional injuries

.

Therefore, most international guidelines on alcohol use allow limited drinking, but emphasize that complete abstinence is still best
.
Argentina, the region with the highest per capita alcohol consumption in Latin America, also has higher consumption levels than most other regions in the world

.

The leading cause of death in Argentina is cardiovascular disease (28%), followed by cancer (20%), which together account for 48% of annual mortality
.
Compared with most high-income countries, Argentina has a lower cancer incidence but comparable mortality

.

Breast, esophagus, liver, oral and pharyngeal, laryngeal and colorectal cancers

Worldwide, the alcohol-attributable cancer burden varies widely between regions: most alcohol-attributable cancer deaths occur in the Western Pacific (7.
8% of all cancer deaths), while in the Eastern Mediterranean, Only 0.
7% of cancer deaths can be attributed to alcohol
.
This percentage is 4%

in the Americas region .

4%

In 2018, 53% of the Argentine population drank alcohol, more men (66%) than women (42%)
.
Heavy drinkers (>50 g/day) were 2.

4% of the population (4.

The total number of deaths in Argentina in 2018 was 334,514, of which 60,764 (18%) were due to cancer
.
The six cancer types of interest in this study accounted for 18,255 (5%) of the total mortality cases

.

(N (N (N

In 2018, the total number of DALYs due to cancer was 1,137,397
.
Alcohol consumption resulted in 23,948 DALYs, with six selected cancer types accounting for 7% of all DALYs and 2.

1% of DALYs caused by all cancers

Inclusion of melanoma, pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer resulted in 186 additional attributable deaths and 2,677 additional attributable DALYs
.

what-if scenario

If heavy drinkers switched to moderate consumption levels, it would reduce 338 deaths and 5,498 DALYs, a 24% reduction in deaths and a 23% reduction in DALYs
.
However, if moderate drinkers switched to light drinking, the alcohol-related cancer burden would be reduced even more : nearly half of all alcohol-attributable deaths and DALYs would be prevented (639 deaths (46%) and 10 , 853DALYs (45%))
.
In the last case, i.
e.
if heavy drinkers additionally switched to moderate drinkers, this would prevent an additional 105 deaths and 4523 DALYs
.
Thus, in the last case, 54% of alcohol-related deaths and 64% of alcohol-related DALYs would have been prevented
.

A greater reduction in alcohol-induced moderate drinkers would have prevented an additional 105 deaths and 4523 DALYs
.
death due to alcohol

Taken together, in 2018, half of Argentina's population reported regular alcohol consumption
.
The total number of cancer-related deaths attributable to alcohol consumption was 1,387, and the total number of cancer-related DALYs was 23,948, representing 2.
3% of total cancer-related deaths and 2.
1% of total cancer-related DALYs
.
Alcohol-related cancer mortality and disability rates were higher in men (3.
7%) than women (0.
8%)
.
Half of all deaths and disability-adjusted life years attributable to alcohol consumption were in the moderate consumption category (12.
6-50 g/day)
.
The greatest health gains will be achieved if all moderate drinkers reduce their drinking to light drinking
.

In 2018, half of Argentina's population reported regular alcohol consumption
.
The total number of cancer-related deaths attributable to alcohol consumption was 1,387, and the total number of cancer-related DALYs was 23,948, representing 2.
3% of total cancer-related deaths and 2.
1% of total cancer-related DALYs
.
Alcohol-related cancer mortality and disability rates were higher in men (3.
7%) than women (0.
8%)
.
Half of all deaths and disability-adjusted life years attributable to alcohol consumption were in the moderate consumption category (12.
6-50 g/day)
.
The greatest health gains will be achieved if all moderate drinkers reduce their drinking to light drinking
.

Overall, alcohol consumption accounted for 2.
3% of all cancer deaths in Argentina in 2018 and 2.
1% of all cancer DALYs
.
Most deaths and disability-adjusted life years can be attributed to moderate alcohol consumption, as alcoholics make up only a small percentage of the population
.
This requires the implementation of population-wide strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol in the general population and its impact on the overall burden of disease
.

Alcohol consumption accounted for 2.
3% of all cancer deaths in Argentina in 2018 and 2.
1% of all cancer DALYs
.
Most deaths and disability-adjusted life years can be attributed to moderate alcohol consumption, as alcoholics make up only a small percentage of the population
.
This requires the implementation of population-wide strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol in the general population and its impact on the overall burden of disease
.

Original source:

van de Luitgaarden et al.
Alcohol-attributable burden of cancer in Argentina .
BMC Public Health (2022) 22:124
https://doi.
org/10.
1186/s12889-022-12549-7

Alcohol-attributable burden of cancer in Argentina .
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