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Cheers to health? Uncovering myths around the health benefits of moderate drinking
By James M. Clay, Tim Stockwell, University of Victoria
The notion that enjoying a casual beer or sipping on your favourite wine could not only be harmless but actually beneficial to one’s health is a tantalizing proposition for many. This belief, often backed by claims of research findings, has seeped into social conversations and media headlines, painting moderate alcohol consumption in a positive light.
As researchers at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, we find ourselves frequently revisiting this topic, delving deep into the evidence to separate fact from wishful thinking. Can we confidently say, “Cheers to health?”
Unpacking beliefs about moderate drinking
The commonplace belief that moderate drinking can be beneficial to health can be traced back to the 1980s when researchers found an association suggesting that French people were less likely to suffer from heart disease, despite eating a diet high in saturated fat.
This contradiction was thought to be explained by the assumption that the antioxidants and alcohol found in wine might offer health benefits, leading to the term “French paradox.”
This concept reached a broader audience in the 1990s, following a segment on the American news show 60 Minutes which had a profound impact on wine sales. Later research expanded on this idea, suggesting that frequently drinking small amounts of any type of alcoholic beverage might be good for health.
This idea was formalized into what is now known as the J-shaped curve hypothesis. Put simply, the J-shaped curve is a graphical representation of the apparent relationship between alcohol consumption and death or disease. According to this model, abstainers and heavy drinkers are at higher risk of certain conditions, such as heart disease, compared to moderate drinkers, whose risk is lower.
Current perspectives on moderate drinking
People used to think that tobacco use was good for health, historically describing it as a remedy for all disease. As scientific understanding has advanced, however, tobacco use has been increasingly recognized as a leading cause of preventable disease and death.
Read Full Story https://theconversation.com/cheers-to-health-uncovering-myths-around-the-health-benefits-of-moderate-drinking-222267