The Crush - August 2020 - 3

[ FROM THE PRESIDENT ]

'Up to Two Drinks Per Day'

WARNING: LONGTIME DIETARY GUIDELINE FOR ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION MAY BE CUT IN HALF
By John Aguirre
How does wine fit into a healthy lifestyle? Most of us in the
wine industry would say moderate drinking is associated with
positive health outcomes. We know that wine with friends and
food is a good thing, because that's a part of our experience.
However, academic research also supports our world view. For
example, a research article published by Oxford University Press
(Consumption of Wine with Meals and Subjective Well-being: A
Finnish Population Study, 2016) finds that moderate wine with
meal drinkers reported better health, higher self-efficacy and less
psychological distress than others.
The authors are careful not to make causal claims about alcohol
consumption, but they found a clear association between positive
perceptions of self and well-being among moderate wine
drinkers, particularly those who drink wine with meals. The
article also notes other studies that suggest wine is associated
with positive, healthy behaviors: a Danish population study
found that wine drinkers had higher intakes of fruits, fish,
vegetables, salad and the use of olive oil. Also, the beverage of
choice makes a difference. The article also referred to studies that
found beer drinkers were more likely to prefer less healthy diets.
You may be thinking the preceding is obvious. Healthy
living and moderate wine consumption are compatible, if not
complementary, things. However, not all see it as we do.
To help Americans make good dietary choices, the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) publish Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The current 2015-2020 guidelines are under review and updated
2020-2025 guidelines are forthcoming. The current guidelines
dedicate significant attention to the consumption of alcoholic
beverages, but the bottom line message is, "If alcohol is consumed, it
should be in moderation - up to one drink per day for women and up to
two drinks per day for men - and only by adults of legal drinking age."
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans don't recommend
nondrinkers start drinking, and people who do should do so
within the parameters of a healthy eating pattern. Furthermore,
the guidelines clearly warn of the risks associated with excessive
drinking. This guidance is sensible because it emphasizes that if
alcohol is consumed, then it should be in moderation - up to one
drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.
The current Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (committee)
charged with reviewing the guidelines and recommending

updates believes two drinks per day for
men is too risky, so the guidance should be
changed to state the recommended limit for
both men and women is up to one drink per day.
This proposed change is very consequential
and unacceptable.
FDA and USDA describe the Dietary
Guidelines for Americans as "an essential
resource for health professionals and
policymakers and claim the guidance is
grounded in the most current scientific evidence." However,
some of the committee's recommendations appear to have a loose
relationship with settled scientific consensus. The committee
admits in its report to FDA and USDA that it was confronted by
a scientific challenge because there are no randomized controlled
trials of alcohol consumption and "all-cause mortality."
Moreover, the committee acknowledges that observational
studies comparing nondrinkers with moderate drinkers find
"...moderate drinking is strongly associated with many favorable
health, social and economic factors that are independently
associated with longevity." The committee dismisses such
studies because they believe moderate drinkers are inherently
healthier, generally have higher incomes and generally engage
in healthier habits. Thus, according to the committee, these other
"confounding" factors obscure the true risks of alcohol.
There are other aspects of the committee's recommendations
concerning alcohol that hint at hidden bias against beverage
alcohol products. I was convinced of this after reading the
committee's concluding comments on alcohol, where it criticized
the current guidelines as insufficient: "...guidance should be
more explicit that recommended limits are based on consumption
per drinking day."
Let me remind you what the current guidelines state:
"If alcohol is consumed, it should be in moderation - up to one drink
per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men - and only by
adults of legal drinking age."
Are you confused by the current guidance? Does it not clearly
state what the recommended limits are? The committee's
recommendations for the updated 2020-2025 guidelines on
beverage alcohol are a travesty and should be tossed in the
garbage.

AUGUST 2020 / 3
https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/
The Crush - August 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Crush - August 2020
