Britons 'lead the way in drinking themselves to death'

4news
Jan. 07, 2006

A study has found Britons are drinking themselves to death at a faster rate than people anywhere else in western Europe.

New research shows liver cirrhosis rates are soaring in the UK while falling in other European countries.

In the 1950s England and Wales had western Europe's lowest rates of deaths from liver cirrhosis, which in developed countries is caused primarily by alcohol poisoning.

But in the 1980s and 1990s cirrhosis mortality rates rose by over two-thirds in the two countries - and more than doubled in Scotland, which now has one of the highest rates in Europe.

The death in November of football legend George Best, who suffered severe liver damage after years of alcoholism, was a graphic demonstration of the effects of heavy drinking.

Lesley King-Lewis, chief executive of research charity Action on Addiction, said the new research was "further proof" that Britain's drinking culture was seriously damaging the nation's health.

"Liver cirrhosis is just one of many harmful consequences of drinking too much. Alcohol is responsible for nearly 100 conditions, including impotence, psoriasis and heart disease.

"We are concerned that the new licensing laws will only exacerbate the problem, and encourage Britons to drink more."

Robert Patton, a psychologist at the National Addiction Centre at King's College London, said Britain's increased cirrhosis mortality rates "came as no surprise".

"We have known for some time that rates of alcohol consumption have been rising since the end of World War Two.

"You would expect a rise in alcohol consumption to lead to a rise in alcohol-related problems like cirrhosis of the liver.

"As a nation we do like a drink. We're not top of the European league table in terms of per capita drinking but we're nowhere near the bottom either. We are a society that has an ethos of alcohol consumption.

"In recent years a lot of research has shown that people are seeming to drink more, and more problems related to alcohol consumption are coming through."

Some medical experts expressed fears the nation's binge-drinking habit would get worse when new laws came into force in November allowing pubs and clubs in England and Wales to serve alcohol around the clock.

At the time Professor Roger Williams, the liver specialist treating George Best, condemned the 24-hour drinking culture.

He told Sky News: "We see in our wards young people in their 30s with advanced liver diseases, their life ruined. I see liver disease all around increasing.

"I just cannot accept that any measure that results in an increase in alcohol consumption in this country as a whole can be justified.

"I don't think there is any evidence that lengthening the periods of drinking in this country will lead to less alcohol consumption. It will lead to more."

Mr Patton, who is planning an Action on Addiction-funded study into the impact of the new Licensing Act on alcohol-related harm, said it was not clear that the worst fears had been realised so far.

"The Government is hoping that 24-hour licensing laws are somehow going to convert us to a Continental cafe culture where we sup wine and eat olives.

"But there is not a lot of evidence to suggest that widening availability of alcohol encourages people to drink less. On the other hand there is a lot of evidence to suggest that restricting access reduces alcohol harm.

"Once it becomes more routine to go out drinking until whenever you like, we will have a better idea of the effect of the change. We have to watch this space because we don't know what's going to happen."

He said he wanted GPs and hospital doctors to routinely ask patients questions about their drinking, as they currently do about smoking, and recommend that they seek help if necessary.

This would lead to people receiving advice and treatment earlier and would reduce serious long-term damage like liver cirrhosis.

He said: "Doctors used not to look for alcohol problems. Now, when you go to hospital or visit your GP, they will start asking you questions about your drinking levels.

"It has become more of a public health issue - the more we ask questions the more detailed the picture becomes."