A recent government study revealed that even light alcohol consumption increases health risks. Published on Tuesday, the report found that the risk of premature death begins with a single daily drink. This conclusion has faced criticism from the alcohol industry.
The study indicated that consuming one drink per day increases the risk of premature death from alcohol-related illnesses or injuries. The risk affects one in 1,000 people. However, the risk jumps to one in 25 for those having two drinks daily. Previously, two drinks a day was considered safe for men. The study appeared in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Commissioned during the Biden administration, this study is one of two reports aimed at informing updates to U.S. dietary guidelines. The second report, from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM), offered contrasting findings. It suggested that moderate drinking, defined as two drinks a day for men and one for women, could be healthier than abstaining. However, it also highlighted a connection between moderate drinking and higher breast cancer risk. Notably, some experts involved in this report had financial connections to the alcohol industry.
The alcohol industry favored the second report, criticizing the Alcohol Intake and Health Study as biased and scientifically flawed. They claimed to have expressed their concerns to government officials over several years.
When the Trump administration released the new dietary guidelines in January, they encouraged Americans to drink less for better health. Unlike previous guidelines, they did not specify daily drinking limits.
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