One Too Many? The Link Between Alcohol and Cancer

How do we get people to consume less alcohol?

Alcohol and its cancer risks

This London Global Cancer Week (LGCW) C3 has partnered with The George Institute for Global Health to increase awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer and subsequently support advocacy between health organisations and policymakers on reducing alcohol consumption.

Bringing together experts in health marketing and behaviour change will discuss the extent to which alcohol consumption increases the risk of cancer and the best ways to reduce alcohol consumption and raise awareness of these risks in societies where alcohol use is culturally entrenched.

This talk will include a Q and A.

Date

Thursday November 16, 2023

Time

8:30 – 10:00 GMT

Host

C3 Collaborating for Health and The George Institute for Global Health

Location

Online

Register

Order for free now! Limited tickets available

Speakers

Professor Simone Pettigrew is the Head of Food Policy. She has qualifications in Economics Marketing and Consumer Psychology. Her broad areas of expertise include behavioural psychology health promotion health policy communications social marketing and intervention research. Along with nutrition her substantive areas of research include obesity physical activity alcohol consumption smoking active transport and healthy ageing. Simone sits on numerous advisory committees and regularly performs research consultancies for NGO and government entities. To date she has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers and produced more than 160 technical reports for NGOs and government departments.

Maik Dünnbier is Director of Strategy and Advocacy at Movendi International. He has an academic background in political science philosophy and history of ideas as well as global development Dresden University in Germany and Stockholm University in Sweden.Maik leads Movendi International’s advocacy work on global and regional level including the engagement with the UN system. Maik develops the strategic approach to advancing comprehensive alcohol policy solutions to support countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Maik works closely together with the members of Movendi International member organizations to empower advocacy and facilitate government relations. He advices the International Board of Movendi International on strategic questions and advocacy issues.

Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges is a public health specialist with an interest in non-communicable diseases and holds a PhD in International Health. She joined WHO in 2006 dedicating her work to strengthening WHO normative and technical support to countries namely the development of comprehensive national policies aimed at reducing alcohol consumption and the improvement of prison health systems.In addition Carina was Head of the WHO Office for Prevention and Control of NCDs and NCD Director providing strategic and technical support to 53 Member States of the Region in scaling up their efforts to better prevent and control noncommunicable diseases.

Event description

The primary goal of this meeting is to increase awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer and subsequently support advocacy between health organisations and with policymakers on reducing alcohol consumption.

Why now

Cancer has become the second leading cause of death globally. Cancer impacts on national economies through increased out of pocket health expenditure labour and productivity losses driving families caring for cancer patients into poverty.

London Global Cancer Week (LGCW) brings together researchers policy makers health professionals and more from across the world creating a 360° picture of the impact of the rising global incidence of cancer the challenges the cancer pandemic poses to the implementation of UHC and providing a unique opportunity for C3 Collaborating for Health and The George Institute for Global Health jointly to lead the conversation in tackling this pandemic.

With alcohol consumption resulting in millions of deaths every year and a risk factor for several cancers exploring how best to reduce consumption and raise awareness is key in the global fight against cancer.

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals for 2015-2030 include the reduction by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases such as cancer through prevention and treatment and the promotion of mental health and well-being (3.4) and the strengthening of the prevention and treatment of substance use disorder including alcohol use (3.5).

Alcohol consumption increases the risk of several different types of cancer including:

• Breast and bowel cancer (two of the most common types).
• Mouth cancer.
• Some types of throat cancer: oesophagus (food pipe) larynx (voice box) and pharynx (upper throat).
• Liver cancer.

Even small amounts of alcohol can increase your risk of cancer so the more you can cut down the more you can reduce the risk.

This event will bring together experts across sectors to discuss how alcohol contributes to cancer risk and how we best address alcohol consumption and raise awareness of health risks sharing evidence-based approaches for reducing alcohol consumption in societies where alcohol use is a socio-cultural norm.

Meeting aims

1. Bring together experts across sectors (academia, civil society and industry) to discuss the extent to which alcohol consumption increases your risk of cancer.
2. Explore the best ways forward to address alcohol consumption and raise awareness of certain risks. Dealing with reality of reducing consumption in societies where alcohol use is culturally entrenched.
3. To allow audience members through our Q and A to provide new insights and opportunities for change.