Everything in Moderation: A Closer Look at Alcohol and Health

The phrase “everything in moderation” is often touted as a sensible approach to life, suggesting that a balanced, measured approach to indulgence can mitigate harm. While this idea holds appeal for its simplicity and flexibility, when it comes to certain habits, like alcohol consumption, its validity is increasingly being questioned. Let’s delve into the latest empirical evidence to discern whether moderation is truly a viable strategy for maintaining health, particularly concerning alcohol, and extend this concept to other aspects of health.

Alcohol Consumption: The Current Evidence

Historically, moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with certain health benefits. Some studies suggested that moderate drinkers had lower rates of cardiovascular disease compared to non-drinkers and heavy drinkers. This led to the popular belief that a glass of red wine a day could be beneficial. However, recent research is challenging these assumptions.

A comprehensive study published in The Lancet in 2018 reviewed data from nearly 600,000 people across 19 countries. The findings were stark: the safest level of drinking is none. The study concluded that even moderate alcohol consumption increased the risk of health problems, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Another study in The BMJ reinforced these findings, showing that even low levels of alcohol consumption could raise the risk of certain cancers, such as breast cancer.

The UK’s Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines also reflect this shift in understanding. They recommend not regularly drinking more than 14 units of alcohol per week, spread evenly over three or more days, and stress the importance of having several drink-free days each week. The key message is clear: while occasional drinking might not pose significant health risks, the cumulative effects of regular consumption are more harmful than previously understood.

Extending Moderation to Other Aspects of Health

The idea of moderation can be extended to other vices and lifestyle choices, such as smoking, sugar consumption, and even screen time. However, the applicability of moderation varies significantly depending on the specific habit.

Smoking: Unlike alcohol, there is no safe level of smoking. Even occasional smoking is harmful, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, respiratory issues, and various cancers. The concept of moderation does not apply here; complete abstinence is the only safe approach.

Sugar Consumption: The rise of sugar-related health issues, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, has led to growing scrutiny of sugar consumption. While occasional indulgence in sugary treats is not inherently harmful, regular high sugar intake is detrimental to health. Moderation, in this case, involves being mindful of hidden sugars in processed foods and maintaining an overall balanced diet.

Screen Time: In the digital age, excessive screen time has been linked to a range of health issues, including poor sleep, eye strain, and mental health problems. Moderation here means setting limits on daily screen use, taking regular breaks, and ensuring screen-free time, particularly before bed.

Conclusion

The phrase “everything in moderation” may hold some truth for certain aspects of life, but when it comes to alcohol and other significant health vices, it’s essential to look beyond simplistic maxims and consider the latest empirical evidence. While occasional indulgence in alcohol may not be harmful for everyone, regular consumption carries significant risks. In other areas like smoking, moderation simply doesn’t apply, and abstinence is the safest route.

Current health thinking suggests a more nuanced approach: one that recognises the individual variability in how different habits affect health and encourages evidence-based guidelines tailored to minimise harm. As our understanding of the impact of various lifestyle choices evolves, so too should our approach to “moderation.”

Encourage readers to like and share this article if they found it insightful. Engaging in informed discussions about health can help us all make better choices.

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References

Bellis, M.A., Hughes, K., Jones, L., Morleo, M., Nicholls, J., McCoy, E. and Webster, J., 2015. The alcohol harm paradox: using a national survey to explore how alcohol may disproportionately impact health in deprived individuals. BMC Public Health, 15(1), p.129.

GBD 2016 Alcohol Collaborators, 2018. Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet, 392(10152), pp.1015-1035.

Schütze, M., Boeing, H., Pischon, T., Rehm, J., Kehoe, T., Gmel, G. and Olsen, A., 2011. Alcohol attributable burden of incidence of cancer in eight European countries based on results from prospective cohort study. BMJ, 342, p.d1584.

UK Chief Medical Officers, 2016. UK Chief Medical Officers’ Low Risk Drinking Guidelines. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-consumption-advice-on-low-risk-drinking?

World Health Organization, 2022. Alcohol. [online] Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/alcohol