This is important news for most Irish people.
A new medical study published in medical journal The Lancet suggests that even one drink a day can significantly increase one’s risk of stroke.
The full extent of harm that alcohol does to the human body remains the subject of much debate, and other studies have suggested that small amounts can even improve health.
However, the a recent study by University of Oxford, Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Medical Science — which studied 500,000 Chinese people over 10 years — found that drinking one to two alcoholic drinks every day increased stroke risk by 10 – 15%, whereas drinking four drinks every day increased the risk of having a stroke by 35%.
In the context of the study, a bottle of beer, small glass of wine or a measure of spirits would qualify as a drink.
It is worth noting also that, in Ireland, there is 10.5ml more alcohol in a measure of spirits than in the UK.
According to the Irish Heart Foundation, 10,000 Irish people suffer a stroke each year, and 2,000 Irish people die from stroke each year.
More than half (54%) of adult Irish drinkers are classified as harmful drinkers. Almost 66% of Irish drinks would meet the threshold of a drink a day/at least six a week.
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