Those who enjoy a couple of glasses of wine each day with the comforting belief that is for the benefit of their heart, may no longer be able to rely on that fact, as new research shows.
The Alcohol Policy Coalition (APC) have released a paper that challenges the commonly-held belief that drinking red wine is good for your heart and preventing cardiovascular disease.
“After reviewing all the scientific evidence it appears any positive effects of alcohol in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease have been hugely overestimated,” Kathy Bell, chief executive of the Heart Foundation (Victoria) said.
Bell said the belief that red wine is markedly different from other types of alcohol is dangerous, as all alcohol should only be consumed in moderation.
“In particular, red wine has no special, protective qualities when it relates to cardiovascular disease.
“The Heart Foundation does not recommend red wine or other types of alcoholic drinks to prevent or treat cardiovascular disease.
“To reduce your lifetime risk of alcohol-related harm, you should drink no more than two
standard drinks on any day.”
The report coincides with the UN summit in New York yesterday and today, where industry and government representatives have met for only the second time in history to discuss issues of non-communicable diseases.
Issues on the agenda include obesity and junk food production, as well as alcohol consumption and the medical impacts including heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
The problem of obesity has already sparked controversy at the summit, with some experts saying the junk food epidemic is akin to gun violence.
More than half of all alcohol-related deaths globally are from diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer or liver cirrhosis, and in Australia five per cent of all cancers are caused by alcohol, including one in five breast cancers.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showing a sharp increase in wine consumption are concerning for industry experts, who say the readily available cheap wine on the market is creating huge problems.
In Australia, Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows a sharp increase in wine consumption.
“It’s no surprise that wine consumption has gone up – price influences consumption and wine is taxed by value not alcohol content,” Todd Harper, CEO of Cancer Council Victoria said.
“So when Australians can buy cask wine for less than soft drink, it’s little surprise we have a
$15billion drinking problem on our hands.”
“But there is something the Government can do to help fix the problem – with an effective alcohol tax, Australia can lead the world in reducing alcohol related diseases, including heart disease and cancer.”
“At the moment, alcohol taxation in Australia is inconsistent and confusing.
“We know that by taxing alcohol by volume we can reduce drinking to safer levels, which will have a marked effect on rates of heart disease and cancer.”