| A recent study by Kaiser Permanente | | | | the year 2004, 2,800 of these women were |
| Researchers has found that the effects of alcohol | | | | diagnosed with breast cancer. Researchers |
| on breast cancer are the same, regardless of | | | | analyzed three aspects of the records; they |
| whether a woman drinks wine, beer, or liquor. The | | | | compared alcohol intake among women who |
| ethyl alcohol found in those drinks and the | | | | favored specific beverages, the frequency of |
| quantity consumed are the factors that weigh | | | | drinking each beverage type, and the role of total |
| heavily on breast cancer risk. Researchers believe | | | | alcoholic intake compared with women who drank |
| the increased risk from three or more drinks a | | | | less than one drink a day. |
| day is similar to the increased breast cancer risk | | | | The results found no difference among the |
| from smoking a pack of cigarettes a day or | | | | varying types of alcoholic beverages, even when |
| more. They claim that "Population studies have | | | | wine was divided into red and white. Researchers |
| consistently linked drinking alcohol to an increased | | | | found the risk of breast cancer rose by 30 |
| risk of female breast cancer, but until now there | | | | percent in women who drank more than three |
| has been little data, most of it conflicting, about an | | | | drinks a day. They claim that "We think that the |
| independant role played by the choice of | | | | heart protection benefit from alcohol is real, and is |
| beverage type." | | | | probably derived largely from alcohol-induced |
| The team of Kaiser Permanente researchers | | | | higher HDL or "good" cholesterol, reduced blood |
| studied the drinking habits of over 70,000 women | | | | clotting and reduced diabetes." However, they |
| of varying ethnicities who had supplied information | | | | warn "Our findings provide more evidence for |
| during health exams between 1978 and 1985. By | | | | why heavy drinkers should quit or cut down. |