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Sunday, December 17, 2023

FASD News - 50/2023


Penticton Herald (Canada) - Lakeland Centre for FASD open house empowers and supports
The Lakeland Centre for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) open house drew attention as it provided a platform for education, awareness, and support for individuals and families navigating the challenges of this complex condition.
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EurekAlert! - Researcher says men should abstain from drinking at least three months prior to conceiving
Researchers at Texas A&M University have already shown that paternal drinking habits prior to conception can have a negative effect on fetal development — with semen from men who regularly consume alcohol impacting placenta development, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)-associated brain and facial defects, and even IVF outcomes.
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Mamamia - During her pregnancy, Sophie drank occasionally. At 14, her son received a diagnosis.
From the moment Sophie found out she was pregnant, she was excited for the future that lay ahead. She was 30, and this was going to be her first child.
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Birmingham Live - 'My mother drank too much before she had me - now it feels like I have dementia at 21'
In her spare time, she volunteers at her local hospital, picks litter off the street and keeps her neighbourhood safe - but for years Chloe Lambert has been unable to land a job because of her disability. The disability campaigner from Wolverhampton lives with a little-known disability which she says is like having ‘dementia’ at the age of 21.
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The Australian (Australia) - How glass baby campaign hit home for mums-to-be
A study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health has revealed new data on the efficacy of an advertising campaign designed to support alcohol-free pregnancies.
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FARE Australia (Australia) - Every Moment Matters campaign celebrates two year milestone
Every Moment Matters is a groundbreaking national health campaign about alcohol, pregnancy and breastfeeding. The campaign has been developed by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) and is funded by the Australian Government from July 2020 to September 2024.
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Canada.ca - Government of Canada announces partnership with the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences to assess fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Canada
Today, the Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health announced close to $950,000 for the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) to undertake a comprehensive scientific assessment on FASD.
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FASD Ireland (Ireland) - Parliamentary Questions
Below you will find all PQ's submitted since 2017 related to Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder along with the responses from Ministers and the HSE.
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FASD United - FASD in the Criminal Justice Space: Interview with Captain Brian Holloman
Research highlights the connection between FASD and interactions with law enforcement and the criminal justice system. While these statistics may spark concern, they emphasize an important point.
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Research in Practice - Supporting people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
For the first 26 years of my professional career, I had no knowledge at all about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), and only found out about it 'accidentally' in 2008 when I came across it in my personal life.
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FASD United - Prevention-Based Messaging and Perspectives From Those with FASDs
In the FASD space, prevention messaging undoubtedly plays a crucial role, but focusing solely on prevention can sometimes inadvertently cast a shadow over those living with this disability.
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VIDEOS and MATERIALS
FASD Hub Australia - Building blocks for success: Understanding & supporting children with FASD in the school environment
In this short webinar hosted by FASD Hub Australia and Learning With FASD, our experts in paediatrics, occupational therapy, and education provide an overview of the common challenges that children with FASD may face in the classroom, as well as strategies to set them up for success.
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FASD Awareness - Our FASD Strategies & Coping Mechanisms -FASD Webinar #22
In this December webinar we have listened to many of the requests coming into FASD Awareness and we have arranged some of the world’s leading advocates of FASD to discuss their methods, techniques, and strategies around the day to day coping mechanism that they use to thrive.
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Northwest ATTC - Tailoring Treatment for Clients with PAE/FASD
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term that refers to a wide range of life-long physical, cognitive, and behavioral effects that can occur as a result of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE).
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FASD United (formerly NOFAS) - FASD United Policy Forum - November 2023
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The Matilda Centre - Learning with FASD: Building blocks for success: Understanding and supporting children with FASD
This webinar is aimed at primary school teaching and support staff looking to learn more about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), and how to support children with FASD to thrive at school.
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Program Lead CAPCCPNPNetwork - FASD Webinar: A Complicated and Beautiful Brain
This presentation will help the participants to recognize that FASD is a part of all of our job descriptions. We will discuss the urgent need for us on the front line to understand that drinking during pregnancy is actually on the rise despite what we know.
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United States Drug Testing Laboratories (USDTL) - Toxtime: Identifying & Helping Newborns Affected by Alcohol & Other Drug Misuse
In preparation of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Month in September, join Guida Brown of Guided by Guida at USDTL’s next ToxTime on “Identifying & Helping Newborns Affected by Alcohol & Other Drug Misuse.”
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Al Coates - Episode 5 of FASD - What’s da Craic? Foster Carer Frank
In this episode Scott had a chat with foster carer and parent Frank. Frank and his wife adopted in the early 90’s in the UK and since then have returned to Ireland to live. Franks shares his families story of living with FASD, how they became aware of it, how they were supported, as well as how it impacted everyone in the longer term with the sad passing of his son 4 years ago from suicide.
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CanFASD - About FASD Prevention
Canadian prevention specialists have identified four mutually reinforcing prevention approaches as effective in delivering FASD prevention, linked to overall policy strategies. The four levels span general and specific practices that assist women to improve their health and the health of their children, with support from family, support networks, services and community.
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Able to Care Podcast - Understanding Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) - Able To Care Podcast
This months podcast explores Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and how we can help those living with it.
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RESEARCH
Frontiers in Cellular Neurosci. Sec. Cellular Neurophysiology - Expression of placental CD146 is dysregulated by prenatal alcohol exposure and contributes in cortical vasculature development and positioning of vessel-associated oligodendrocytes
Recent data showed that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) impairs the "placenta-brain" axis controlling foetal brain angiogenesis in human and preclinical models.
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Revue de l'infirmiere - Alcohol and pregnancy: talking about it without taboos to prevent pregnancy
From the earliest stages of adolescence, the question of alcohol consumption should be addressed by health professionals (GPs, midwives, gynecologists, pediatricians, nurses) working in the field of perinatal care or public health. All alcohol consumption is prohibited during pregnancy.
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Alcohol Clin Exp Res - Pregnancy characteristics and outcomes among birthing individuals with a diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome
These findings highlight the need for improved recognition of FAS among birthing people. The results suggest that individuals with FAS would benefit from early and sustained medical care prior to pregnancy to optimize perinatal outcomes.
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Archives of Public Health - The role of general practitioners in Reunion in detecting alcohol use in pregnant women and identifying fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: a qualitative study
GPs reported barriers to the identification of FASD: challenges in overcoming social taboos and paradoxical injunctions, the influence of limited knowledge and experience, non-specific and highly variable symptoms, ambiguous classification and method of diagnosis involving the mobilization of a multidisciplinary team and lengthy consultations.
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The Journal of Pediatrics - Normative MRI Data Increase the Sensitivity to Brain Volume Abnormalities in the Classification of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Age- and sex-adjusted brain volumes based on a large normative dataset may be useful predictors of functional outcomes and may identify a greater number of individuals with FASD than the currently used criterion of OFC.
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Frontiers in Neuroscience - Editorial: Perspectives and recent advances in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders research
This Frontiers in Neuroscience Research Topic entitled “Perspectives and recent advances in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders research” was launched shortly after the 45th Annual Research Society on Alcohol Scientific Meeting held in Orlando, Florida from June 25–29, 2022.
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The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition - Polymorphisms in the choline transporter SLC44A1 are associated with reduced cognitive performance in normotypic but not prenatal alcohol-exposed children
Two functional alleles that increase vulnerability to choline deficiency, rs3199966(G) (Ser644Ala) and rs2771040(G) (3′ untranslated region), are associated with worsened cognition in otherwise normotypic children.
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Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research - Predicting fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in preschool-aged children from early life factors
As early identification and treatment optimize outcomes of children with FASD, classifier models from early life characteristics show promise in predicting FASD.
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JAMA Network - Brain Volume in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Over a 20-Year Span
These findings suggest that a sustained spectrum of brain volume deficits endured from adolescence into early middle age based on the original severity of dysmorphia and a diagnostic distinction between fetal alcohol syndrome and alcohol-related neurodevelopment disorder.
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Forensic Science International: Mind and Law - ‘I inevitably get in trouble … in one way or another’: Qualitative exploration of the vulnerabilities and experiences of justice system encountered individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Individuals with FASD are highly vulnerable to, and within, encounters with the CJS. Procedural justice will benefit by employing alternative methods in dealing with situations where individuals with FASD may be involved, and in obtaining information via interviews from the FASD population.
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Journal of Public Health - Identifying the motives for and against drinking during pregnancy and motherhood, and factors associated with increased maternal alcohol use
Stress reduction motives may be a risk factor for heavier maternal drinking, while motives for not drinking seem to be focused on child welfare and maternal well-being.
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IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Dentonet (Poland) - Zdrowie jamy ustnej i jakość życia osób z FASD
Zdrowie jamy ustnej może znacząco wpłynąć na ogólny stan zdrowia i jakość życia. Tym bardziej dotyczy to osób z niepełnosprawnością rozwojową, taką jak spektrum poalkoholowych zaburzeń rozwojowych (ang. foetal alcohol spectrum disorder; FASD).
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SWR.de (Germany) - Alkohol in der Schwangerschaft: Viele Kinder in der Pfalz leiden unter den Folgen
Hirnschäden, die Kinder im Mutterleib durch Alkohol erleiden, sind keine Seltenheit. Pfälzer Pflegefamilien berichten: Das Alkoholsyndrom beeinträchtigt das ganze Leben.
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Società Italiana di Pediatria (Italy) - Allattamento, sindrome feto-alcolica e sviluppo neurologico del bambino
Molti studi si sono occupati di valutare se i bambini allattati al seno presentano un migliore neurosviluppo rispetto a bambini che vengono alimentati con una formula. I dati finora disponibili sono in parte contrastanti ma, eliminati fattori confondenti, è stata riscontrata un’associazione statisticamente significativa a favore degli allattati al seno.
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Krajowe Centrum Przeciwdziałania Uzależnieniom (Poland) - FASD powszechna ale wciąż mało znana choroba
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Alko.fi (Finland) - Näkymätön kansanterveysongelma
Raskausaikana äitinsä päihteidenkäytölle altistuneista nuorista noin puolella on mielenterveyden ja käyttäytymisen häiriöitä 15–24 vuoden iässä. Mielenterveyden ongelmilla puolestaan on yhteys muun muassa muita nuoria huonompaan koulumenestykseen ja taloudellisiin vaikeuksiin.
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Friday, December 15, 2023

Alcohol News - 50/2023


ERR News (Estonia) - Rapid wage growth has boosted alcohol consumption in Estonia
Alcohol consumption in Estonia has increased in recent years. The Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs attributes this to the fact that wages have risen at a faster rate than alcohol prices.
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AFR - How alcohol became a crutch for professional women
Alcohol lubricated the working culture when Allyson Clark started out in the technology sector 15 years ago. The ethos, she says, was to “have a drink, stay out until 2am with your co-workers”.
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New Atlas - Men should quit alcohol 3 months before starting a family, study suggests
A study has found that it takes longer than previously thought for the negative effects of alcohol consumption to leave a man’s sperm. Given the link between alcohol and birth defects, the findings are important for potential fathers to factor in when they’re considering starting a family.
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Medical Xpress - Pattern of alcohol intake more accurate indicator of liver disease risk than overall consumption, finds study
Those who binge drink and have a certain genetic makeup are six times more likely to develop alcohol-related cirrhosis, according to new research from UCL, the Royal Free Hospital, the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.
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CBC (Canada) - Defence minister says he wants to change the drinking culture on military bases
Defence Minister Bill Blair says the government has no plans to ban alcohol in the military, but he will speak to senior military leaders in the coming weeks about how to improve the culture at social establishments on military bases that serve alcohol.
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ABC (Australia) - Children as young as two are learning about drinking from us. Here's what to be mindful of
My toddler has seen the inside of a lot of bistros and beer gardens in his short life, which means there's also been many occasions he's witnessed me and his dad consuming alcohol.
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News.com.au (Australia) - Dire figures reveal more than a quarter of Australian’s exceeding alcohol limits while obesity rates reach record high
More than a quarter of Australian adults are exceeding daily recommended limits of alcohol while obesity rates have nearly doubled in Australia over the past two decades, according to a new snapshot of the nation’s health.
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LSM (Latvia) - Support center observes less teenage alcohol use, more drug use
11 thousand young people have received help at the Teenage Resource Center this year. The average portrait of a teenager -- a 14-year-old girl who lives with both parents and attends school but has trouble getting along with her peers, Latvian Television reported December 13.
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Medical Xpress - More Americans than Canadians use alcohol to dull their pain, according to study
From exercise and over-the-counter medications to alcohol use and prescription drugs, North Americans report using a number of different strategies to manage and prevent day-to-day pain.
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Eurocare (EU) - Public Health Community United Against Alcohol-Related Harm in the SANT Report on Non-Communicable Diseases
As the European Parliament prepares for the vote on the Subcommittee on Health (SANT)’s Non- Communicable Diseases (NCDs) report, leading health organisations across the EU are actively highlighting the need for more robust public health policies in Europe.
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NordAN (Denmark) - One in seven experience unpleasant incidents at the workplace Christmas party
A recent Voxmeter opinion poll commissioned by Alkohol & Samfund reveals that one out of seven Danes who’ve attended workplace Christmas parties experience uncomfortable incidents.
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NordAN (Denmark) - Exhibition in Denmark focuses on children in families with alcohol abuse
The art project KUNST GIVER BALLAST (ART PROVIDES STABILITY) had its opening on Thursday, December 7, in Tønder. The exhibition is touring Denmark to focus on children growing up in families with alcohol abuse. The basis for the project is that 109,000 children in Denmark grow up in families with alcohol problems. This corresponds to about 730 children in Tønder Municipality alone – or two in every school class on average.
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IAS Blog - What really are ‘alcohol problems’, and why does it matter?
In simple terms, practically everything we believe – extending well beyond the more obviously culturally bound belief systems such as religion or politics – is steeped in a complex set of cultural and human processes.
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Friday, December 8, 2023

Alcohol News - 49/2023


World Health Organization (WHO) - Global report on the use of alcohol taxes, 2023
This report provides an assessment of taxes applied to alcoholic beverages at the global level. It qualitatively compares their design and provides estimates of standardized metrics to compare tax levels between countries, for the first time at the global level.
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Financial Times - How alcohol became a crutch for professional women
Alcohol lubricated the working culture when Allyson Clark started out in the technology sector 15 years ago. The ethos, she said, was to “have a drink, stay out until 2am with your co-workers”.
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The New York Times (USA) - Scientists in Discredited Alcohol Study Will Not Advise U.S. on Drinking Guidelines
Two researchers with ties to beer and liquor companies had been named to a panel that will review the health evidence on alcohol consumption.
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NY Post (USA) - Workplaces warned of dangers of ‘very loose’ alcohol consumption at Christmas parties
Offices have been warned by multiple researchers that the alcohol so common at workplace events – such as the annual Christmas party – has consistently led to dangerous consequences for its employees.
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Psychiatry Advisor - Alcohol Use is Associated with Suicidality Among Patients With Schizophrenia
Alcohol use is associated with an increased risk for suicide-related outcomes among individuals with schizophrenia, according to findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis published in Psychological Medicine.
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Total Croatia News (Croatia) - ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION TO BE BANNED ON RIJEKA BEACHES
Alcohol consumption is set to be banned on Rijeka beaches, with a nearby destination also set to dole out fines for other acts.
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Worldcrunch (Europe) - How Gen Z Is Breaking Europe's Eternal Alcohol Habit
From Irish whisky to French wine to German beer, Europe has long been known for alcohol consumption. Of the top 10 countries for drinking, nine are in the European Union, according to the World Health Organization.
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Newsweek - How Much Could You Save By Giving Up Alcohol?
Americans could save an average of $3,000 if they gave up alcohol for one year, a new study found.
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NCD Alliance - We are what we drink: WHO tax policy resources aim to lower consumption of alcohol and sugary drinks
Alcohol and sugary drinks are two major drivers of NCDs, and raising taxes on these products is proven effective for lowering consumption. New World Health Organization resources provide a potent tool for governments who want to protect their people from these harmful substances.
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AlcoholAndCancer - Exploring the impact of alcohol policies on global cancer outcomes
This is based on the demonstrated association between lower API scores and higher cancer mortality rates. Continued or increased alcohol consumption without robust PHP could lead to higher incidence and mortality from alcohol-associated cancers.
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NordAN (Sweden) - One in five Swedes unaware that early alcohol initiation increases risk of future alcohol problems
A recent survey conducted by Novus reveals that many Swedes are not aware of the long-term risks associated with alcohol consumption. The study also highlights variations in knowledge across different counties.
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IAS blog - Mistletoe and Wine: Alcohol advertising at Christmas time
Exposure to alcohol adverts or other audio-visual content (AVC) in the media leads to alcohol initiation and subsequent use by adolescents and continued use by adults, especially those at risk of an alcohol use disorder or those in recovery. This is due to normalising alcohol use in society through social norms.
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Friday, December 1, 2023

Alcohol News - 48/2023


The Guardian - Half of pre-mixed alcohol features nutritional claims as industry targets young Australians, study finds
The alcohol industry is targeting health-conscious younger Australians with nutritional claims such as “low calorie”, “low sugar” and “gluten free” appearing on half of pre-mixed alcoholic drinks, according to new research.
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News Medical - Cannabis and alcohol co-use disrupts brain development and impairs memory
The increased legalization of cannabis over the past several years can potentially increase its co-use with alcohol. Concerningly, very few studies have looked at the effects of these two drugs when used in combination.

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Fox News - 7 ways drinking alcohol can impact your gut health: 'Sobering' effects
Heading into the party season, partaking of too many holiday spirits can leave you with an unwelcome hangover — and can also wreak havoc on your gut health.
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News Medical (China) - Study reveals high alcohol consumption in men increases mortality risks in China
In a recent article published in The Lancet, researchers investigate the associations of cause-specific mortality with alcohol intake using data from 512,724 Chinese adults (210,205 men and 302,519 women) registered in the China Kadoorie Biobank cohort.
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HuffPost - I'm Struggling To Get Sober, And Working In Academia Only Makes It Harder
I sit in a public library and stare at a blinking cursor in between sending I-can’t-do-this texts to friends. Shakespeare’s play “All’s Well That Ends Well” sits atop checked-out library books, all unopened.
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HCPLive - Alcohol Abstinence After Glaucoma Diagnosis Could Lower Visual Impairment Risk
Abstinence from alcohol following an open-angle glaucoma diagnosis was associated with a statistically significantly lower risk of severe visual impairment or blindness compared with sustained drinking, according to new research.
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WebMD - Study: Alcohol, White Bread Linked to Colorectal Cancer Risk
New research shows that consuming high amounts of white bread and alcohol is associated with a greater risk of developing colorectal cancer.
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Irish News (Northern Ireland) - Quarter of NI men report drinking more alcohol than recommended
A quarter of men who responded to a health survey in Northern Ireland reported drinking more than the recommended weekly alcohol limit.
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BBC (Scotland) - Alcohol-related homeless deaths highest on record
New figures suggest 244 people died while experiencing homelessness in Scotland last year. The National Records of Scotland (NRS), external statistics show that deaths among people who were homeless declined slightly from 2021.
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The Mandarin (Australia) - Auditor-General report review prompts calls to tighten Victoria’s gambling and liquor laws
A clampdown on gambling and alcohol-related harms may be on the cards, following an eight-month review of reports produced in 2017, 2019 and 2021 by the Victorian Auditor-General (VAG).
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IAS Blog (UK) - Alcohol duty frozen in Autumn Statement: What does this mean?
In his Autumn Statement on Wednesday 22 November, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt froze all alcohol duties until August 2024.
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ERR (Estonia) - SDE MP: Coalition unlikely to hike vodka excise duty any time soon
Social Democratic Party MP Jevgeni Ossinovski says he does not believe the current coalition his party is in office in with Reform and Eesti 200 will abruptly hike excise duties on, and consequently prices of, vodka and other strong liquor.
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Asahi Shimun (Japan) - Booze guidelines warn that a beer a day increases risk of cancer
The health ministry’s revised draft of Japan’s first “guidelines on health-conscious drinking” warns that consuming a mug of beer or a glass of sake a day increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer.
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NordAN (Denmark) - Older people with alcohol problems improve quality of life through alcohol treatment
Research shows it's never too late to start. Older citizens with alcohol abuse can be helped to a better quality of life.
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NordAN (Norway) - 600,000 norwegians admit to drunk driving
Driving under the influence can have fatal consequences. Nevertheless, 14 percent, equivalent to 600,000 Norwegians, admit to having driven while under the influence one or more times.
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AlcoholAndCancer (Netherlands) - Netherlands: Up to 40,000 cancer cases per year can be prevented
One-third of all cancer cases in the Netherlands are caused by an unhealthy lifestyle and living environment. This is evident from new research by TNO, commissioned by the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF Kankerbestrijding).
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AlcoholAndCancer - Recent study highlights alcohol's role in cancer mortality and years of life lost
A significant study published in eClinicalMedicine, led by Harriet Rumgay and her team, provides a detailed analysis of the impact of alcohol consumption on cancer mortality in seven countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
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