“Global Burden of Disease” project
Study shows: alcohol only has harmful consequences for those under 40 – but not for older people
“Young people should not drink alcohol,” say the researchers of the GBD project
A new study concludes that alcohol is only harmful to the health of those under the age of 40. Older people, on the other hand, could benefit from half a glass of wine a day.
“I never say no to Vino”? This motto should be thrown overboard at the latest in view of the results of the study by the “Global Burden of Disease” project (GBD). The comprehensive analysis, published in the medical journal The Lancet, concludes that young people should stay away from alcohol altogether. For people under the age of 40, alcohol does not have any health benefits, but numerous risks.
According to the authors of the study, young people can drink just a tenth of a regular drink a day without it having a negative impact on their health. That’s about the equivalent of a sip of wine. Young men are particularly at risk, as 60 percent of alcohol-related illnesses and injuries, including car accidents, suicides and homicides, occur in men between the ages of 15 and 39.
Alcohol can have health benefits in people over 40
At the same time, healthy people over the age of 40 should be able to benefit from low levels of alcohol. In addition to harmful effects, alcohol can also have health-promoting effects on them – and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes or strokes, for example.
“Our message is simple: Young people shouldn’t drink alcohol. Older people, however, can benefit from small amounts,” says the study’s lead author, Dr. Emmanuela Gakidou, Professor of Health Metrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. “While it may be unrealistic to think that young adults will stop drinking, we believe it is important to communicate the latest science so that everyone can make informed decisions about their own health.”
Over a billion people drink harmful amounts of alcohol
The study is the first to examine alcohol-related risk in relation to age, gender, year and regions of the world. To do this, the researchers analyzed data from 204 countries with regard to the risk of 22 possible negative consequences of alcohol consumption, such as physical injuries, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. In this way, they calculated the amount from which people who drink alcohol have a higher risk of developing diseases than those who do not drink alcohol.
The conclusion of the study: In 2020, an estimated 1.34 billion people in the countries surveyed showed drinking habits that indicate harmful alcohol consumption. The GBD study was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Sources: The Lancet, The Guardians, RND