
Alcohol health researchers have exaggerated the risks of drinking - DanBC
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/alcohol-health-research-risks-expert-advice-drinking-consumption-a8508491.html
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DanBC
So, this article makes some good points (media is terrible at reporting risks,
especially when the base rate of risk is small) but misses the main points of
the research: People think that drinking small amounts is actively good for
you, and that's not true. And people think they're drinking small amounts,
when they're not.

Many people think they are drinking low or moderate amounts, when they're
actually drinking significantly more.

He also gets the units wrong.

> In 2016, the government cut the levels of recommended alcohol for men and
> women to no more than 14 units per week, that’s six pints of average
> strength beer or seven glasses of wine.

One uk pint if 568 ml. Average strength beer in UK is 5%. .568 * 5 * 6 is 18
units.

If you drink a small pub measure of wine (175 ml) at 12% ABV and you have 7
glasses you'll be at just over 14 units.

But most people drink more than this. That's either because their wine is
stronger, (eg .175 * 13 * 7 = 16 units) or because their glasses are bigger
(250 ml * 12 * 7 = 21 units) or both (.250 * 13 * 7 = 22 units).

When I've mentioned 250 ml glass sizes in the past people ahve said that's a
ridiculous size. Here's one menu offering small (175 ml) and large (250 ml)
sizes. They have to, by law, offer a 125 ml size too, but that's a hidden
option.

~~~
greatquux
Not just the media though, the researchers need better communication in
addition to better understanding of risks. What the author pontied out in
regards to the public disregarding expert advice is absolutely true. Framing
your results like this does no one any good.

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savimportweb
i love how the first comment of the article is the guy who made a study and
explains why. waste of an article as usual, the writer is a TL;DR kind of guy.

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smileypete
On the other hand...

[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/heart-disease-
alco...](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/heart-disease-alcohol-
drinking-moderate-risk-uk-study-a8501726.html)

 _Regular moderate drinking may lower heart disease risk, study finds

\- People with unstable drinking patterns more likely to suffer from coronary
illness, scientists say_

~~~
DanBC
But that's wrong, and has been widely debunked.

If you're a woman over the age of 50 and you drink maybe two to four glasses
of red wine per week you'll get some heart health benefits, but no-one else
does.

