Kerby Anderson

A recent study in the journal Lancet concludes that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. This seems to contradict some other studies that argued that there were possible benefits to moderate use of alcohol. The researchers looked at data from 28 million people worldwide. That allowed them to compare the few benefits of alcohol consumption that might be preventive for conditions like ischaemic heart disease and diabetes to the increased risk of cancers and other diseases. The authors suggest that public health organizations “consider recommendations for abstention.” The conclusions of the research paper have been challenged at a number of levels. For example, the increase of risk is slight for one drink a day but increases significantly for someone drinking more than that. That is why some critics challenge the abstention recommendation. They remind us that there is no safe level for driving, but the government doesn’t recommend people avoid driving. But it is worth repeating that the study concludes that no level of alcohol consumption improves health. And we are all aware of people who promise themselves and others that they will only have one drink, and end up having many more. Another question is whether the study considered all the factors. Did they miss a confounding variable? A famous example was the erroneous conclusion from one study that coffee caused pancreatic cancer. The authors did not adjust for the fact that coffee drinkers are more likely to smoke. It was smoking that killed people, not coffee. It does appear that researchers did take such data into account. This study illustrates once again that alcohol consumption is a global health issue where the risks outweigh the few possible benefits.