Excess consumption of alcohol could lead to serious potentially life-limiting health conditions. Credit: Patrick Fore on Unsplash

Public Health England (PHE) and alcohol education charity Drinkaware have launched Drink Free Days, a new campaign to help reduce alcohol consumption.

The initiative will encourage middle-aged drinkers to take long breaks from drinking as a way of reducing alcohol-associated health risks.

Excessive consumption of alcohol could lead to life-limiting health conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease, as well as seven types of cancer.

PHE’s CEO Duncan Selbie said: “Many of us enjoy a drink, but whether it’s a few in the pub after work a couple of times a week, some beers on the sofa watching the football or regular wine with our dinner, it’s all too easy to let our drinking creep up on us.

“Middle-aged drinkers, are drinking in ways that are putting them at risk of serious and potentially life-limiting conditions.”

“While the link with liver disease is well known, many people are not aware that alcohol can cause numerous other serious health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease and several cancers. It’s also an easy way to pile on the pounds.

“About ten million people in England are drinking in ways that increase the risks and many are struggling to cut down.

“Setting yourself a target of having more drink-free days every week is an easy way to drink less and reduce risks to your health.”

The new partnership between PHE and Drinkaware aims to reduce alcohol harm.

Drinkaware’s CEO Elaine Hindal said: “The more you drink, the greater the risk to your health. It’s really that simple.

“But an increasing number of people, particularly middle-aged drinkers, are drinking in ways that are putting them at risk of serious and potentially life-limiting conditions such as heart disease, liver disease and some types of cancer.”