Most people know that alcohol is addictive and bad for your liver. But that it is an important cause of cancer is much less known. According to research by the Trimbos Institute.
Trimbos had a sample taken among nearly six thousand adults to test the knowledge of the Dutch about alcohol harm. When asked what alcohol can do, cancer was the least mentioned. That while smoking is the most important avoidable cause of the disease.
According to researcher Carmen Voogt, the fact that this realization is difficult to penetrate has to do with the fact that alcohol is considered very normal. “People prefer to look away from frightening information. All the more so because the consequences of alcohol use only appear in the longer term.”
Information is not unambiguous
Another factor is that the information about cancer and alcohol is not unequivocal. For example, it is claimed that people who do not drink alcohol live shorter lives than people who drink one glass a day.
All in all, the World Health Organization states that there is no healthy dose of alcohol and that it is wise not to drink. Since 2015, the Dutch Health Council advises to drink zero or a maximum of one glass per day.
What do you think? Are the results of the Trimbos Institute’s research a reason to really stop drinking alcohol now? Give your opinion and participate in the statement of the day.