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