Drinking wine or beer is a celebratory ritual on many social occasions like weddings, birthdays, and bachelor parties. But did you know that no amount of alcohol is pretty good for your overall health?
According to The Lancet, “alcohol use is a leading risk factor for death and disability, but its overall association with health remains complex given the possible protective effects of moderate alcohol consumption on some conditions.”
The study concludes that no amount of alcohol is safe for the overall health of a person – a finding that surprised casual drinkers, and left so many experts unconvinced.
For years, public health officials have said that moderate drinking – which is defined as up to a glass per day for women and up to two glasses per day for men – won’t hurt anyone who already enjoys alcoholic beverages. It may even give some benefits to the consumer.
Senior study author Emmanuela Gakidou, a professor at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, stated to The Lancet, “the most surprising finding was that even small amounts of alcohol use contribute to health loss globally. We’re used to hearing that a drink or two a day is fine. But the evidence is the evidence.”
The research was based on a review of almost 700 existing studies on global drinking prevalence and almost 600 studies about alcohol and health and found that alcohol was the 7th leading risk factor for premature death in 2016, associated to 2.8 million deaths worldwide. According to the study, that number is equivalent to 2.2% of all female deaths and 6.8% of all male deaths that year.
The study also found out that the health risks will probably increase the more you drink. Its results show that the safest level of drinking is actually “none.” And policies that focus on reducing population-level consumption will be the most effective way of reducing the health loss from alcohol use.
But despite these findings, several critics disagree and believe that the research might be exaggerated. So, if you’re a casual drinker, would you believe the study or not? /FM
InqPOP! Creator Community/ Geline R. Lumunsad
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