New Federal Report Finds Any Drinking Increases Mortality Risk, Contradicting Recent Studies

On Wednesday, the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD), a committee under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HSS), published a draft report of its study on alcohol intake and health. This study is the latest in a string of reports on alcohol’s impact on morbidity and mortality, following the release of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report and the advisory warning issued from the U.S. surgeon general on Jan. 3 regarding the risks of alcohol consumption as it relates to cancer.

The ICCPUD’s new Alcohol Intake and Health Study evaluated systematic reviews and meta-analyses of “observational” cohort studies, and did not include data from experimental studies or randomized controlled trials. The findings suggest that the risk of dying from alcohol use begins at low levels of average use, and that the risk of alcohol-related mortality increases progressively with higher levels of consumption.

“In the United States, males and females have a 1 in 1000 risk of dying from alcohol use if they consume more than 7 drinks per week,” the report states. “This risk increases to 1 in 100 if they consume more than 9 drinks per week.” The report also found that alcohol use is associated with increased risk and mortality for seven different types of cancer including colorectal, female breast, liver, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus.

These findings directly contradict the conclusions from the NASEM report, which found that moderate drinking comes with some health benefits, including a lower risk of all-cause mortality. The NASEM did find an increased risk of breast cancer with alcohol consumption, but it argues that there is not enough data yet to substantiate risks to other types of cancers.

This conflict could spell trouble, as the ICCPUD and NASEM reports are intended to inform the decision made by the HHS and the USDA regarding the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The recommendations are set to be updated at the end of this year for the 2025-2030 period. Current guidelines suggest that safe consumption is capped at one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men, but many are pushing for that to change, prompted by claims from the World Health Organization (WHO) that no level of alcohol is safe for human health.

The ICCPUD study has been controversial among those in the alcohol industry since the committee got involved in the movement. The NASEM study was conducted in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) using a $1.3 million Congressional allocation, so many questioned why more resources should be allocated to a separate study run by the ICCPUD, whose purpose is preventing underage drinking. Many in the trade are also questioning the ICCPUD’s transparency and authority on this topic, citing evidence of bias and conflict.

For those involved in the alcohol industry, or even those who enjoy the occasional drink, it’s clear that all eyes will be on the upcoming update to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as the debate rages on.

The article New Federal Report Finds Any Drinking Increases Mortality Risk, Contradicting Recent Studies appeared first on VinePair.