A recent government study on alcohol, published on Tuesday, has found that health risks begin with even a single drink per day. This conclusion has drawn criticism from the alcohol industry.
The study, appearing in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, revealed that consuming one drink daily increases the likelihood of premature death due to an alcohol-related illness or injury. This risk was calculated at one in 1,000 people. However, the risk significantly increased to one in 25 when individuals consumed two drinks daily, a level previously deemed safe for men.
Commissioned during the Biden administration, the Alcohol Intake and Health Study was intended to help update the U.S. dietary guidelines. In contrast, another report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) panel proposed that moderate drinking—up to two drinks a day for men and one for women—could be healthier than abstaining entirely. Nonetheless, it acknowledged a higher risk of breast cancer linked to moderate drinking.
This alternate report pleased the alcohol industry more and faced criticism for financial connections between some panelists and the alcohol sector. The industry labeled the findings of the Alcohol Intake and Health Study as ideologically biased and scientifically flawed, emphasizing that it had voiced concerns to government officials over several years.
The Trump administration eventually issued new dietary guidelines in January, which advised reducing alcohol consumption for health benefits but did not specify daily limits, deviating from past recommendations.
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