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Ask the Doctor: Oct 16

ABC asks whether alcohol products have label warnings like cigarettes?

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ABC’s Ask the Doctor tonight looks at health issues surrounding alcohol and whether bottles should be relabelled with warnings like cigarettes?

Alcohol claims the lives of around 5,500 Australians each year, and three million of us drink at the risky level of more than two standard drinks a day. But what about those who consume less than that? In this timely follow-up to season one’s ‘Alcohol’ episode, the doctors examine the latest research and discover that even small amounts of alcohol can reduce life expectancy. While the dangers of liver disease are more well known, there’s alarming new evidence which shows consuming alcohol can lead to cancer. But can the damage be reversed?

Shalin and young mum Simone give up alcohol for one month to see if they can undo the negative effects on their bodies. They enlist the help of Dr Bastian Seidel, President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, to monitor their progress. He debunks previous advice that drinking a glass of wine a day was good for your heart as “complete and utter nonsense”. The alcohol-free experiment yields surprising results, exposing the role alcohol plays in sleep disruptionand weight gain. Shalin goes on to reveal the distasteful truth about alcohol’s empty calories by demonstrating just how many drinks deliver the same calories as a full meal – without any of the nutritional benefits.

Caroline examines exactly how alcohol can cause cancer of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, breast and bowel – and what we can all do to reduce the risks. She also gives plenty of tips to minimise the harmful effects of alcohol when partaking during social events.

Sandro questions if current Australian warning labels on alcohol bottles and cans are strong enough. He asks if horrific medical images on cigarette packets helped inform consumers about smoking risks and lowered smoking rates – could the same be true for alcohol? When Sandro roadtests confronting alcohol warning labels on the public, a debate ensues as to whether it’s nannystate stuff or sensible health-risk management.

8pm tonight on ABC.

2 Responses

  1. Great to see a program documenting the health risks associated with alcohol, which just don’t seem to be well known by the general public. Would have liked to see more info on the alcohol-free alternatives for beers, wines etc. as it is not just a matter of ‘beer or water’. Plenty of humour in the presentation of the scientific facts, a good balanced program.

  2. Looks like Aunty has gone into the full “Wowser mode” in the last few weeks, did they interview Mrs Lovejoy as well?

    All the same techniques as we saw with tobacco, alcohol and sugar are next, then the crusade will start against meat and before we know it all of our food will come with sin-taxes and health warnings on it and be served in generic brown paper bags….

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