The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged that alcoholic beverages in Europe carry mandatory labels with warnings about their relationship with various types of cancer. The entity emphasizes that the region leads the worldwide consumption of alcohol and warns of “an alarming lack of awareness” regarding the harmful effects that this situation can generate on public health.
WHO indicates that alcoholism takes on the lives of around 800,000 people a year in Europe. Cancer is the main cause of alcohol -attributable deaths. Despite this, only 15% of Europeans are aware of the relationship between alcohol and breast cancer, and only 39% know that they contribute to the development of colon cancer.
“Public awareness about the relationship between alcohol and cancer is still alarmingly low. Many countries in the region have not yet made significant advances in the implementation of damage reduction policies caused by alcohol, ”emphasizes WHO.
The international agency argues that the labeling with sanitary warnings in alcoholic beverages is a simple and economical strategy that allows consumers to make informed decisions. “These labels do not deprive consumers. On the contrary, they provide knowledge and empowered them, ”says Hans Henri P. Klug, WHO regional director for Europe.
Warning labeling in alcoholic beverage It is only implemented in 3 of the 27 countries of the European Union and in 13 of the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region. “Countries should force to include these indications in alcoholic products instead of trusting alcohol producers,” recommends the health entity.
WHO points out that local authorities must regulate the location, content and design of these warnings. It suggests that they could be textual or include pictograms to expand their impact and offer accurate information to consumers. In this sense, the effectiveness of QR codes dismisses as a method of health information. “The alcohol industry usually promotes the use of QR codes in products so that consumers access additional information if they wish. However, a pilot study revealed that only 0.26% of buyers scanned these codes to obtain health information, which underlines the importance of visible labels in containers, ”he adds.
Various investigations have warned about the connection between alcohol consumption and cancer. The American Association for Cancer Research estimates that 40% of the cases of this disease are associated with “modifiable risk factors”, among which the intake of alcoholic beverages. The entity highlights that its consumption is linked to various types of cancer such as head and neck, esophagus, liver, breast, colorectal and stomach.
Experts warn that the increase in the incidence of certain types of cancer among young adults is a cause for concern. The relationship between alcohol and cancer risk follows a dose-response pattern, which means that greater consumption increases the chances of developing the condition. The type of alcoholic beverage does not significantly alter the threat. It is ethanol, the chemical compound of alcohol, which is considered carcinogenic.
Health institutions highlight the need to establish public measures to sensitize the population about the harmful effects of alcohol and promote strategies that promote responsible consumption.
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