Lifestyle
Even 1 drink a day elevates your cancer risk – an expert on how alcohol affects the body breaks down a new government report
Many people use the new year to reflect on their relationship with alcohol. Just-released government guidelines are giving Americans another reason to consider a “dry January.”
Over the past few decades, mounting scientific evidence has shown that as little as 1-2 alcoholic drinks per day can lead to increases in the likelihood of several cancers. This prompted the U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, to release a new Surgeon General Advisory on Jan. 3, 2025, warning about the link between alcohol and cancer. This report highlighted the evidence and included a call for new cancer warning labels on alcoholic beverages.
The association between alcohol and cancer isn’t new news – scientists have been trying to determine the link for decades – yet most people aren’t aware of the risks and may only associate drinking with liver disease like cirrhosis. In a 2019 survey from the American Institute for Cancer Research, less than half of Americans identified alcohol as a risk factor for cancer.
Alcohol is the third-most preventable cause of cancer in the U.S, putting it just behind tobacco and obesity. As the surgeon general’s report highlights, alcohol is associated with approximately 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths every year, playing a role in breast, liver, colorectal, mouth, throat, esophagus and voice box cancer cases. Alcohol-induced cancer deaths outnumber alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities every year.
The report included the suggestion to add warning labels to alcohol similar to what is already required for tobacco products – another substance of abuse known to cause cancer.
As a neuroscientist specializing in the neurobiological effects of alcohol use and binge drinking, I am glad to see the call to action for reducing alcohol consumption in the United States.
Key takeaways of the report
With so few people aware of the links between alcohol consumption and various cancers – and the fact that the vast majority of people consume some alcohol every week – it’s easy to see why the surgeon general is calling for greater awareness. The 22-page report highlights what scientists know about the relationship between alcohol and cancer, and suggests actions for moving forward. Those include label changes on alcohol, which have not been updated since they were created in 1988.
Somewhat strikingly, breast cancer carries a large portion of this risk – making it particularly worrisome in the face of increased alcohol use among women.
These numbers don’t only apply to heavy alcohol drinkers. While less alcohol is better, 25% of these cancer cases were in people classified as moderate drinkers – consuming, on average, fewer than two drinks per day. This means that anyone regularly drinking alcohol, even small amounts, should know about and understand the risks.
Surgeon general’s advisories are the primary way that the Department of Health and Human Services, where the Office of the Surgeon General resides, communicate health issues of great importance to the public. Surgeon general’s advisories are not necessarily breaking news, but they take the opportunity to bring public awareness to science surrounding big public health issues.
The science behind the link between alcohol and cancer
The relationship between alcohol and cancer has been clear to scientists for decades. In fact, it was highlighted in a 2016 surgeon general’s report as well, which focused on addiction more broadly.
The new report outlines the different types of evidence supporting this link. One way is through epidemiological science, which tries to understand patterns and relationships between the rates of cancer and how much alcohol people consumed. Another is through experimental animal studies, which allow scientists to understand the mechanism and causality of these connections as they apply to specific cancers. Together, studies conclusively show a link and pathway between alcohol consumption and cancer.
The surgeon general’s report highlights four key pathways through which alcohol can cause cancer. These largely focus on the ways alcohol can negatively affect your DNA, the building blocks of cells. While the healthy cells in your body divide all the time, their abnormal growth can be driven by aberrant factors like alcohol-induced DNA damage.
This DNA damage leads to uncontrollable growth of tissue instead of healthy, normal tissue growth. This abnormal tissue growth is cancer. The four pathways through which alcohol can lead to cancer highlighted in the report are:
- The body naturally breaks alcohol down into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde can damage and break DNA, leading to chromosomal rearrangements and tumors. This link is so strong that acetaldehyde has been classified as a carcinogen since 1999.
- Alcohol creates reactive oxygen species. Reactive oxygen species, sometimes called “free radicals,” are unstable molecules that contain oxygen and can further damage DNA, proteins and fats.
- Alcohol can influence hormones, like estrogen. Alcohol can raise the amount of estrogen in the body, which may explain its link to breast cancer. This increased estrogen can influence breast tissue by causing – you guessed it – DNA damage.
- Alcohol is a solvent, which means other things can dissolve in it. This makes it easier for carcinogens from other sources – like cigarettes and e-vapes – to be absorbed by the body when the two are consumed together.
Is any amount of alcohol safe?
The biggest question on people’s minds right now is likely “how much alcohol can I safely drink?” and the answer to that might disappoint you – probably none.
Alcohol use remains one of the most preventable risk factors for cancer. And even moderate alcohol consumption – one or fewer drinks per day – may elevate cancer risk for some types, such as breast, throat and mouth cancers.
But none of these studies can tell you what your individual risk for cancer is. The relationship between alcohol and cancer can be influenced by your genes, such as those that control the enzymes that metabolize alcohol, and other lifestyle factors that influence the rates of cancer broadly, like diet and inflammation. All of these lifestyle and personal health factors can influence how risky alcohol consumption is for you.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that if you choose to drink, consider sticking to less than one, for women, or two, for men, standard servings of alcohol per day – which might be smaller than you think, and don’t binge drink alcohol at all. The surgeon general is also suggesting a rethinking of these guidelines to include updated limits on daily alcohol consumption and greater educational efforts around the link between alcohol and cancer.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has similar recommendations around limiting alcohol consumption and advises that for people who choose to drink alcohol, “the less, the better.”
The institute offers tips on its website for managing your alcohol consumption or abstaining from alcohol consumption altogether, including finding alternative hobbies and activities, identifying what leads to your urges to drink and having a plan to handle urges, and identifying a strategy for saying “no” to an alcoholic beverage in social settings.
Nikki Crowley, Assistant Professor of Biology, Biomedical Engineering and Pharmacology, Penn State
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Consumer Corner
65% of US homeowners say owning a home costs more than expected. Staying put is getting harder, too.
(Tiffany Miller) For years, homeownership was pitched as the finish line. Save for the down payment, buy the house and build wealth over time. According to new research from Unlock, a company that helps homeowners access the equity in their home, 75% of U.S. homeowners say they have no plan to buy or sell a home this year. That sounds like stability. But as the research reveals, it is starting to feel more like stagnation.
Owning a home turns out to cost more than people thought it would, according to the survey of 2,003 homeowners in the United States, conducted in January 2026. The research found that 65% of U.S. homeowners say it is more expensive than what they expected before they bought. The math goes past the mortgage. Nationwide, property taxes climbed 41% between 2018 and 2025, according to the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, with home insurance, maintenance and everyday costs piling on top.
Homeowners are cutting back in places that used to be off-limits. Twenty-two percent of respondents reported putting less into retirement to keep up with the cost of owning their home. Another 33% are putting off bigger purchases, like a car. These are not inconsequential cuts. They are cuts to the financial goals owning a home is supposed to make easier in the first place, like building a nest egg, growing an emergency fund or saving for the future.
The pressure shows up in the present, too. Nearly a third of homeowners have less than $1,000 in emergency fund savings. More than half say day-to-day expenses are causing significant stress in their lives.
It is not only about cutting back or feeling stressed about day-to-day expenses. The survey found 19% of U.S. homeowners say they would rather double their commute time to work than take on another monthly payment. For homeowners already paying a mortgage, insurance, taxes and maintenance, another bill ranks below an extra hour in traffic.
Costs are only half the story. Homeowners are also sitting on real wealth, though they cannot always say how much. The survey found almost half of U.S. homeowners are not sure how much equity they have built up in their home, including 28% who say they are not sure how to find out. The average mortgaged home in the U.S. holds about $299,000 in equity, according to Cotality, a data and analytics company.
Ask homeowners how they feel about having equity in their homes and the answers do not quite line up. Sixty percent say the option to leverage home equity provides an extra level of financial security. Yet 48% say they view home equity as long-term wealth and retirement security, and would only leverage it as a last resort. They want the option there. They just do not want to use it.
The result is a kind of holding pattern. Homeowners are paying more, staying put in homes they cannot easily afford to leave and sitting on wealth they would rather not disturb. The usual options come with a catch. Selling means moving. Refinancing means giving up a low locked-in mortgage rate. According to Realtor.com, 51.5% of outstanding U.S. mortgages still carry rates at or below 4%. Taking out a home equity line of credit or home equity loan adds another monthly payment. Each option asks for something homeowners are trying to avoid. The open question is whether the standard options are still the only options. What used to look like a financial finish line is starting to look more like a treadmill.
Methodology
Unlock commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of 2,003 homeowners in the United States. The margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. Fieldwork was conducted from Jan. 24-30, 2026. Atomik Research, part of 4media group, is a creative market research agency.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
Unlock
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Lifestyle
Saving a Life This Summer: Ways to Step Up Safety Practices
Regardless of where you are, summer is a reminder that emergencies like cardiac arrest can happen anywhere. Take the safety of those around you into your own hands this summer with this checklist.
(Feature Impact) The busy summer season can take you almost anywhere – baseball fields, backyard cookouts, long workdays or road trips across the country. Regardless of where you are, summer is a reminder that emergencies like cardiac arrest can happen anywhere.
More than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States each year, and 90% of people will not survive, according to the American Heart Association, a nonprofit organization devoted to changing the future for a world of healthier lives for all. Sudden cardiac arrest can happen anytime, anywhere. People often hesitate to step in. In fact, nearly 2 out of 3 adults believe CPR can only be performed by medical professionals. This mistaken belief can cost lives and contributes to the low survival rate.
Ordinary people have extraordinary power. You don’t need to wear scrubs or have a medical background to save a life – you just need the courage to act.
Take the safety of those around you into your own hands this summer with this checklist.
Plan Ahead
Summer is often a time for welcome disruptions, including vacations, camps, sports and parties. Before traveling or attending events, check if your destination has a cardiac emergency response plan, which establishes specific steps to reduce death from cardiac arrest in any setting, from schools and community organizations to workplaces and sports facilities.
Learn CPR
Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere: at home, at work, in schools, at a soccer game or on vacation. When it happens, the first chance for survival often rests with the people nearby.
Anyone can be the difference before professional help arrives. The power to save a life is in your hands. CPR is a human responsibility, not just a medical skill. When friends, family or even strangers step in during cardiac emergencies, survival rates can double or even triple.
Hands-Only CPR for adults consists of two easy steps:
- Call 9-1-1 or shout for someone else to call.
- Push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of a familiar song that’s 100-120 beats per minute, such as “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees.
Share Resources with Your Family and Community
Once you’ve learned simple, two-step Hands-Only CPR, share resources with your community to help expand the American Heart Association’s Nation of Lifesavers. Raising awareness with family, neighbors and colleagues can help people feel confident in the face of an emergency.
Families can watch short instructional videos that demonstrate the life-saving steps for adults as well as techniques for infants and children.
Travelers can also get trained in about 5 minutes with a Hands-Only CPR Kiosk, located in many airports and public spaces across the country.
To find more information about learning CPR, visit Heart.org/Nation.
Summer Safety Tips
In addition to learning CPR and sharing valuable resources with your family and community, consider these ways to keep yourself and loved ones safe throughout the summer months.
- Stay Hydrated: High temperatures can quickly lead to dehydration and heat-related illness. Drink water regularly throughout the day, especially during outdoor activities, and pack extra water when away from home.
- Protect Your Skin: Hats, sunglasses and lightweight clothing can protect skin from sun exposure, but it’s important to use broad-spectrum sunscreen and reapply every 2 hours.
- Swim with a Buddy: Hopping in a pool, lake or ocean is a hallmark of summer but can be dangerous without precautions. Never swim alone and ensure children are always supervised by an adult near water.
- Identify the Locations of Safety Equipment: When attending camps, heading to a sporting event or enjoying the pool or beach, identify where lifeguards, AEDs and emergency exits are located. Knowing where to find help can save valuable time when every second counts.
- Practice Grill Safety: Some of your most memorable summer moments may happen during a backyard barbecue or cookout, and it’s important to keep those gatherings safe. Use grills away from homes, decks and dry grass. Never leave them unattended while cooking, and be sure kids and pets stay at a safe distance from hot surfaces.
Saving a Life Within 1 Year of Learning CPR
On a chilly Tuesday, dawn was breaking as Matthew Lynch reached his highway exit, but traffic was backed up at a particular intersection. He waited through three cycles before finally getting close enough to see the holdup: a stalled SUV.
While most cars buzzed by, Lynch moved slowly and peered into the vehicle. He saw people inside and parked his sedan, flipped on the hazard lights and ran to the stalled SUV. As he knocked on the driver’s window, there was no response. The doors were locked. Two people – a male driver and female passenger – were unresponsive.
Lynch ran back to his own car and called 9-1-1 before managing to open the driver’s side door. He discovered the driver was not breathing normally, signaling to Lynch he’d need to start CPR – which he’d learned 10 months earlier during a training session he’d helped organize for a work-sponsored men’s group.
Knowing he had to do something, Lynch started pushing hard and fast in the center of the man’s chest. Within a minute, the man gasped for breath.
Just as Lynch leaned over to see if he could help the female passenger, first responders arrived and Lynch backed away, knowing there was nothing more he could do.
“It was just a lot to take in,” said Lynch, a member of the American Heart Association’s 2026 Nation of Lifesavers Class, a small group of volunteers, dedicated to raising awareness of CPR by sharing their own personal stories of survival or rescue. “Mostly I felt an incredible sense of gratitude that I could help someone.”
A strong admirer of the Good Samaritan parable, Lynch is always on the lookout for the opportunity to help others. He learned a lot about himself in that moment and about the importance of learning CPR, along with the confidence that comes from knowing you could be a lifesaver.
“I quickly realized the certification was way less important than the actual CPR training,” he said. “Your ability to help in any capacity is better than doing nothing. If I hadn’t done that training, I probably would not have helped.”
SOURCE:
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Lifestyle
The degree lost its halo: More US adults now see certifications as the safer, smarter career bet
(Tiffany Miller) For decades, the four-year degree carried an unquestioned authority. It was expensive, but it was the answer. New research from U.S. Career Institute, an online career training provider, finds that authority is no longer going unquestioned.
When asked which education path offers better long-term job security, 26% of adults say certifications or skills-based programs are the safer choice, compared with just 18% who say the same about a four-year degree. The traditional degree path has not gone away, but the certainty around it has started to crack.
The doubt extends to the cost. College was supposed to be expensive and worth it. The expensive part has not changed. The worth-it part is now a more open question. While 38% say paying for college feels like a necessary investment despite the expense, 29% say they question whether it is worthwhile. Asked at what level of student debt they would begin to reconsider, 32% say the threshold is under $10,000.
Artificial intelligence is also adding pressure from a different direction. One in 4 survey respondents said office-based and white-collar workers are the type most likely to be replaced by AI in the next five years. For many, that concern is already part of how they are thinking about major decisions. Fifty-four percent of adults have reconsidered their education or career path due to concerns about job security or automation.
Some have already acted on it. Twenty-five percent say they have already completed a certificate or skills-based program, and another 29% say they have seriously considered pursuing one.
In this survey, stability has replaced prestige as the thing people say they are actually looking for. It is the most commonly cited factor influencing career decisions today, named by 53% of respondents, with prestige and status ranking lower.
It is also shaping the advice people give the next generation. Asked what they would recommend to a young person starting out today, 30% say a certification or skills-based program, while 24% say a four-year degree.
For many, the reconsideration is personal. Twenty-seven percent say they would choose a different path entirely if making their education or career decision today, and 33% say they would look for something faster or more affordable. Knowing what they know now, just 17% say they would make the same choice again. The question of whether college was the right call is one that more U.S. adults are now willing to ask out loud.
Methodology
U.S. Career Institute commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of 1,000 adults ages 18 to 54 throughout the United States. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Fieldwork was conducted between April 22 and April 27, 2026. Atomik Research, part of 4media group, is a creative market research agency.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
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