Any alcohol consumption during pregnancy puts infants at risk for multiple risks.

A prospective study conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Diego has found that for each additional drink of alcohol a day on average, during the early months of pregnancy, there were significant increases in the risks for microcephaly (abnormally small brains) reduced birth weight and length. Any alcohol consumption, especially during the second half of the the first trimester raised the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome significantly.

PositiveTip: Women of childbearing age should avoid all alcohol consumption.

Illicit drug use is a substantial cause of mortality and morbidity.

Tracking the use of illegal drugs is a challenge because of their illegality, but researchers from Australia estimate that 149 to 271 million people around the world use them. Pot (cannabis) is the most widely used. This study did not include hallucinogens, inhalants, anabolic steriods or ecstasy. For perspective, the WHO has estimated that illegal drug use causes 250,000 deaths annually, compared with 2.25 million due to alcohol and over 5 million caused by tobacco.

PositiveTip: For health and safety avoid all illegal drugs, along with the more popular legal ones such as alcohol and tobacco!

Small amounts of alcohol increase risk of invasive breast cancer.

A study of more than 100,000 women for almost 30 years has shown that those who drink 3-6 alcoholic drinks per week had a 15% higher risk of invasive breast cancer compared to non-drinkers. That risk increased to 50% in women who averaged more than 30 drinks per week. The type of alcohol made no difference. This study is consistent with earlier studies.

PositiveTip: Ladies, avoid the use of alcohol to lower your risk of breast cancer. 

Sexual dysfunction associated with poor health habits

Danish researchers found that certain lifestyle habits were associated with sexual inactivity and sexual dysfunction. Women experienced increased risk of sexual inactivity when they were overweight and smoked tobacco; sexual dysfunction when they used hashish.  Risk for sexual dysfunction in men was associated with being underweight or obese, a large waist circumference, physical inactivity, high alcohol intake, tobacco smoking, and use of hard drugs (800% increase).

PositiveTip:  Avoid high-risk lifestyle habits to enhance every aspect of life.

Self-medicating for anxiety with alcohol and drugs can quickly lead to abuse.

Alcohol and drug abuse is often associated with anxiety disorders, but which came first?  A study of 34,653 adults followed for 3 years may help answer this question. Participants having anxiety disorder at the beginning of the study and self-medicated with alcohol and/or drugs, were 2.5 times as likely to develop alcohol abuse, and had a five fold risk of drug abuse problems within three years.  These substances tend to weaken the ability to deal with life issues by making sound, reasonable choices--thus compounding stressful life situations.

Female adolescents who drank at home were more likely to drink more in college!

A study of 449 college-bound female high school seniors who were not allowed by their parents to drink alcohol at all engaged in less binge drinking while in college compared to those who were allowed to drink at home with friends. The authors suggest that parental drinking permissiviveness and later binge drinking is heavily influenced by the mother's alcohol approval. Even parent-monitored drinking does not protect adolescents from drinking heavily later. 

PositiveTip: Prohibit your adolescents from drinking alcoholic beverages at home for their later benefit.

The earlier a person starts drinking the more likely they are to become alcohol dependent.

A fascinating study has investigated the relationship of alcohol dependence to the age of first drinking among 2691 twins living in Australia. In both males and females it was found that the earlier they started drinking, the more likely they were to become dependent on alcohol (41.1% of males who started before the age of 14 vs. 14.6% in those starting later, 25.3% for females starting early vs. 7.5% starting later). 

PositiveTip: Contrary to some advice given, avoid encourging young adolescents to try alcohol even if supervised.

Kids who did not drink at home are less likely to drink as heavily outside the home.

Dutch researchers examined whether parent-monitored drinking as well as drinking with best friends slowed the usual increase in alcohol consumption and binge drinking patterns in adolescents as they grew older. The authors conclude, “Our findings suggest that parents who do not want their children to develop heavy drinking patterns later on should prohibit alcohol use of their adolescent children at home and outside the home at an early age.”

PositiveTip: Beware of the idea of parent-monitored drinking. Not allowing teens to drink is the best prevention!