Infrequent and light alcohol consumption are still associated with poorer health outcomes

1. Infrequent, light, or moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality.

Evidence rating level: 2 (Good)

It is well known that heavy alcohol consumption is connected to detrimental physical and social consequences. Researchers aimed to assess the association between light to moderate alcohol consumption and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. This prospective population-based cohort study collected data from the National Health Interview Survey, which includes self-reported alcohol consumption for 918,529 adults in the United States from 1997 to 2014. The mean age of participants was 46.1 years. Participants were followed for an average of 12.65 years. During the follow-up period, 141,512 adults died from all causes. Compared to those who consumed no alcohol (lifetime abstainers), a lower risk of all-cause mortality was found for infrequent (HR 0.87; 95% CI, 0.84 to 0.90), light (HR 0.77; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.79) or moderate (HR 0.82; 95% CI, 0.80 to 0.85) consumers. Infrequent, light, or moderate alcohol use was also associated with a lower risk of cause-specific mortality due to CVD, chronic lower respiratory tract diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, influenza, and pneumonia. Compared to lifetime abstainers, heavy drinkers had a greater risk of all-cause mortality (HR 1.07; 95% CI, 1.03–1.12), cancer (HR 1.24; 95% CI, 1.14–1.34), and accidental injuries (HR 1.48; 95% CI, 1.22–1.80). It is important to note that the study did not specifically assess deaths due to GI pathologies or mental illnesses, which are known to be connected to alcohol use. The study also did not determine whether participants’ alcohol consumption changed over time during the follow-up period. Nonetheless, study findings corroborate a recent paradigm shift in literature and guidelines, in which even light or infrequent alcohol consumption have been linked with detrimental health outcomes.

Click to read the study in BMC Medicine

Image: PD

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