Key Takeaway:
- A government-backed study found that even one alcoholic drink per day increases health risks and offers no protective effect against premature death.
- Researchers said the latest U.S. dietary guidelines did not fully reflect the Alcohol Risk Study findings, prompting criticism from former health officials.
- The study faced opposition from alcohol industry groups and some lawmakers, highlighting ongoing debates over science, public health policy, and commercial interests.
The Alcohol Risk Study, commissioned by the government and released Tuesday, independently found that even one alcoholic drink a day increases health risks and offers no protection against premature death. Its findings have reignited debate over why they were not prominently reflected in the latest U.S. dietary guidelines.
Researchers Say Alcohol Risks Begin With One Daily Drink
The study, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, concluded that no level of alcohol consumption has a protective effect on mortality. Researchers found that even moderate drinking increases the risk of premature death and contributes to more than 200 diseases, including cancer and heart disease.
The report was one of two scientific reviews commissioned to help inform the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The guidelines, released earlier this year by the Trump administration, advise Americans to consume “less alcohol for better overall health.”
The Alcohol Risk Study authors said the guidance does not provide enough detail about the risks associated with alcohol use.
“I’m glad that they had a message that corresponds with our science, and that is that less is best,” said Dr. Timothy Naimi, a study author and director of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria. “But giving people quantity information is necessary to make a truly informative guideline.”
Former Official Accuses Administration Of Sidelining Research
Robert Vincent, a former alcohol policy official at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, accused the Trump administration of sidelining the research.
In an editorial accompanying the Alcohol Risk Study, Vincent wrote that scientific evidence should guide alcohol policy even when findings conflict with commercial interests. Vincent, who helped oversee the project, was laid off during a federal workforce reduction last year.
“The challenges confronting alcohol policy today are not rooted in scientific uncertainty,” Vincent wrote.
Vincent also told The Associated Press that he was previously asked to halt the study but declined to do so. The Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to that claim.
Emily Hilliard, an HHS spokesperson, rejected suggestions that the study was ignored.
“HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture reviewed the study alongside the broader body of available scientific evidence and followed the established process for developing the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” Hilliard said. She added that the guidelines are based on the “totality of the scientific record.”
Industry Criticism Fuels Ongoing Scientific Debate
The Alcohol Risk Study faced criticism from alcohol industry groups and congressional Republicans after a draft version was released last year.
The House Oversight Committee described the report as biased and questioned whether researchers had reached conclusions before conducting their analysis.
Amanda Berger, senior vice president of science and research for the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, said the committee’s review showed the study was “irretrievably flawed.”
Researchers defended the Alcohol Risk Study, saying contributors were screened for conflicts of interest and that the findings align with growing scientific evidence linking alcohol consumption to health risks.
Priscilla Martinez-Matyszczyk, a study author and deputy scientific director at the Alcohol Research Group, said the analysis focused specifically on deaths attributable to alcohol rather than overall mortality to reduce potential confounding factors.
The findings also support recent research challenging long-held beliefs that moderate alcohol consumption benefits heart health. A 2019 study published in The Lancet found that moderate drinking slightly increased the risk of stroke and high blood pressure while providing no meaningful protective health effects.
Researchers noted that about half of Americans age 12 and older reported consuming alcohol in the previous month, making it the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States.
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