New campaign launched to raise awareness of drinking dangers

The Department of Health has launched a new Change4Life campaign with the aim of improving understanding of the potential health implications of drinking.

New TV adverts are being introduced this week to show how drinking even a small amount above the recommended limit can greatly increase the risk of conditions such as high blood pressure and mouth cancer.

Leaflets are also being distributed to health professionals across the UK, while an online calculator has been introduced to help users work out how much they are drinking and whether they need to cut down.

This follows the publication of a recent survey showing that the majority of people in Britain are unaware that excess drinking can lead to a heightened risk of conditions such as pancreatitis or breast, bowel, throat and neck cancer.

Health secretary Andrew Lansley said: "It can be easy to slip into the habit of having a few extra drinks each day, especially when drinking at home. But there can be serious health risks."

Last month, the Change4Life scheme rolled out a new campaign called Supermeals, aimed at helping UK consumers to plan affordable healthy meals.