‘Moderate’ Drinking Still Poses Health Risks

Individuals consuming alcohol within Canada’s weekly low-risk drinking guidelines “are not insulated from harm,” according to research published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

The Canadian government’s low-risk drinking guidelines, which slightly exceed those in the U.S., state that women should consume no more than 10 drinks per week, and men a maximum of 15. The government defines a “drink” as a 12 oz. beer, a 5 oz. glass of wine or 1.5 oz. of liquor.

According to a news release announcing the results of the study, researchers from the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria in British Columbia found:

• More than 50% of cancer deaths within the province that resulted from alcohol use occurred in people drinking moderately
• 38% of all alcohol-related deaths were experienced by individuals drinking below the weekly limits or those who were former drinkers

The study was conducted based on data from substance use surveys in British Columbia, hospital data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information and mortality data from Statistic’s Canada’s Vital Statistics. Data was non-identifying and from 2014.