Some research shows that drinking alcohol in between meals is more risky than drinking at meal times. We don't know if this is because people drink less overall when they eat, or whether food dilutes the harmful effects of alcohol.
The combined effect of smoking and drinking significantly increases cancer risk, especially cancers of the upper aero-digestive tract including the mouth, larynx, pharynx and oesophagus. The combined harmful effects of smoking and alcohol are much greater than either of these alone.
Alcohol is a known risk factor for cancer, but the evidence for heart disease is mixed. There is some evidence that small amounts of red wine may protect against heart disease particularly in middle-aged and older male and older females, but there are other things you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease. These include not smoking, healthy eating and regular physical activity, which will also reduce your overall cancer risk.
Alcohol contains a lot of kilojoules (or calories) so it can easily lead to weight gain. Being overweight is also a risk factor for some cancers including kidney, oesophagus, breast and bowel cancers.
The type of alcohol you drink doesn't appear to make any difference. Beer, wine and spirits all increase the risk of cancer.
Drinking large amounts of alcohol at one time, or binge drinking, is not recommended. If you drink alcohol, it is better to drink small amounts at a time.
