As the season of heavy drinking approaches, the country's chief medical officer has urged women to go easy on their alcohol intake. Her warning comes in the wake of a study showing liver disease has risen 20% in the UK over the last decade.
Other European countries have seen rates of liver disease fall over the same period.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said she was 'shocked' by the UK's liver disease figures and called for urgent action.
Women in particular were at risk, she emphasised, because of their weaker tolerance for alcohol yet heavy levels of drinking. Do not feel you can match men in their alcohol intake, was her message.
Drink less, burn more fat
Goal: avoid alcohol 2 days a week
The British Liver Disease Trust is calling for GPs to become more aware of liver disease, identify possibly dangerous lifestyles earlier and help make patients more aware of risks.
In addition to drinking alcohol, other major causes of liver disease are obesity and undiagnosed hepatitis infections.
How much is too much? Get the lowdown on liver health and whether you're at risk, in the January 2013 issue of Zest magazine.
