Large UK study links different types of alcohol to different death risks

A new study of more than 340,000 adults suggests that the type of alcohol people drink may be linked to their risk of dying early. The research, published in the journal Nutrition Journal and reported by News Medical and Digi24, found notable differences between beer, wine and spirits.

The team used data from 340,924 participants in the UK Biobank, a large biomedical database in Britain. The average age was about 56, and people were followed for an average of 13.4 years. During that time, 22,381 deaths were recorded.

Beer, cider and spirits

Heavy drinkers had a higher risk of death from all the causes analysed than people who did not drink or drank very rarely. High consumption of beer and cider was linked to higher mortality overall, and also from cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Even low consumption of beer or cider was associated with a rise in cancer deaths. For spirits, the researchers found links with higher risk of death even at low levels of intake.

What about wine?

Results for wine looked different. Low or moderate red wine drinking was linked, in some analyses, to a lower risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular disease. That link did not hold for heavy drinking: large amounts of red wine were associated with higher overall and cancer mortality. High intake of white wine and of fortified wine was also linked to higher risk.

The authors are clear that this does not prove red wine protects the body. Differences could be explained by other factors, such as diet, physical activity or other characteristics of the people studied.

Moderate drinking and cancer

One of the most striking findings concerns cancer. People drinking moderate amounts showed a higher risk of dying from cancer, even though no significant rise in overall mortality was found for that group.

The researchers looked at 20 categories of cancer death by site. For 15 of them, total alcohol or certain drinks were linked to higher mortality after statistical corrections. These included cancers of the head and neck, the respiratory and digestive systems, the liver and gallbladder, and some blood, breast and genital cancers.

Drinking with meals

People who drank with meals, at least sometimes, had lower mortality than those who drank outside mealtimes, particularly at high levels of intake. Again, the scientists did not show that food directly reduces alcohol's harm. Those who drink with meals may simply have different habits.

What it means for readers

This is an observational study, so it shows associations rather than cause and effect. Its message is broadly consistent with existing concerns about alcohol and cancer risk, including at modest levels. For personal advice on drinking, a GP or family doctor is the best person to ask.