Guidelines for alcohol consumption in the era of ‘no safe levels’ - where do we stand?

BACKGROUND: Despite claims that moderation consumption could improve health outcomes, namely cardiovascular health, the latest scientific evidence shows there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption. This study sought to determine the current definitions of standard drink and alcohol consumption guidelines across different nations. METHODS: Based on information from the WHO and the authors’ own judgment, a pool of countries with available data was created. In order to gather the required information, structured internet searches of relevant terms for each country were conducted. RESULTS: In 2015, a similar study was conducted but no actualizations were made afterwards. Currently, there has yet to be a standard drink definition agreed upon by every national government, and there are differences between what constitutes this standard drink. Countries have different guidelines for how much alcohol is safe to consume, and low-risk consumption guidelines vary considerably. There are also double standards for men and women. There are few governments that explicitly state that alcohol consumption should be zero. CONCLUSIONS: National drinking recommendations and guidelines and standard drinking units differ considerably from country to country. It should be evaluated how this impacts public health since this is information available to the general public and can influence how citizens view what they should consume. Public dissemination of messages about so-called safe alcohol consumption levels, moderate alcohol consumption, or protective effects of alcohol consumption is against WHO recommendations, so state governments and national health institutes should consider this matter. KEY MESSAGES: • Countries do not have standardized public health definitions and messages concerning alcohol consumption. • Public health practitioners should update the content of alcohol guidelines accessible to the public to accommodate the latest scientific evidence.