 |
 |
 |
| |
Why Drink Moderately?
Excessive alcohol use is implicated in a number of illnesses, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and depression. Risky drinking involves drinking more than your body can healthfully absorb at one time, or drinking in situations that put you or others at risk (such as drinking before or while driving). Risky drinking can harm your physical and mental health, your family life, and your work performance. At-risk drinkers who decrease their alcohol consumption can lower their triglyceride levels, lose weight, and experience fewer family problems. They also improve their sleep patterns and work productivity. If you drink alcoholic beverages, keeping your alcohol use at moderate levels helps maintain your health and is a benefit to society.
What is Moderate Drinking?
The National Institutes of Health's National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offers these guidelines for moderate or low-risk drinking:
| NIAAA Guidelines for Moderate Drinking 1,3 |
| Men |
No more than 2 drinks/day and at least 1 day each week with no alcohol 2 |
| Women and those over 65 |
No more than 1 drink/day and at least 1 day each week with no alcohol 2 |
| For everyone |
Avoid even moderate drinking in certain situations such as driving, caring for children, or taking certain medications |
Risky Drinking vs. Alcoholism
Surveys indicate that about 60-70% of the U.S. population drinks alcohol. Among those who drink, about two-thirds drink at the moderate levels indicated above. The remaining one third drink at levels that could negatively affect their health. Individuals who are alcoholic may be more visible to others because of the severity of their symptoms. However, there are over twice as many problem drinkers as there are alcoholics. These problem drinkers exact a high cost to themselves and to their families and by their sheer numbers, to society as a whole. To say it in another way, you don't have to be an alcoholic to have an alcohol problem.
Notes:
- How to Cut Down on Your Drinking, a pamphlet published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. Updated February 2001.
- A drink equals 12 ounces of regular beer, 4 ounces of table wine, 3 ounces of fortified wine, 12 ounces of wine cooler, or 1½ ounces of liquor.
- Alcohol is not recommended for women who are pregnant or lactating, or for individuals with certain illnesses. Check with your health care provider to be sure.
|
|
 |
|
 |
