The Washington Post (10/15, A1, Sima) reports a new study “suggests that even light alcohol consumption can increase dementia risk. The finding comes from data of more than 550,000 adults ages 56 to 72, as well as genetics information from 2.4 million study participants.” Specifically, researchers found that “every threefold increase in drinking prevalence upped lifetime dementia risk by 15 percent. That is, increasing intake from one drink to three drinks per week or from three drinks to nine drinks per week was associated with a 15 percent increased risk of dementia. The study also countered previous research that found that alcohol was ‘protective’ or that light to moderate drinkers had the lowest dementia risk, even when compared with nondrinkers.” Overall, it “adds to evidence that even small amounts of alcohol can be harmful to our health, including increasing the risk of cancer or disrupting sleep.” The study was published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine. (SOURCE: APA Headlines)