What Counts as a Drink? Understanding Standard Drink Equivalence and U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Alcohol

OBJECTIVES: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults who choose to consume alcohol do so in moderation, defined as up to 2 drinks/day for males and up to 1/day for females. The Dietary Guidelines defines a standard drink as containing 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol (ethanol). Today's beer, wine, and spirits products come in a range of containers with varying alcohol content, making it a challenge for consumers to know how many standard drinks they are consuming. Because food and nutrition communicators (e.g., dieticians, educators, media) are key sources of information for consumers, the objective was to learn about awareness and understanding of these topics among this group and to assess how a brief educational session improved knowledge and intentions. METHODS: In January 2022, participants completed an online survey (N = 29). They included registered dieticians, nutrition experts; food influencers/journalists; and health educators. A week later, they attended a 15-minute, in-person presentation on standard drinks and the Dietary Guidelines for alcohol. A week later, participants completed a follow-up survey (n = 27). Pre/post responses were compared. RESULTS: Prior to the presentation, 41% of participants considered the alcohol content of a beverage when they purchased or consumed it. After the presentation, that proportion more than doubled, with 93% saying they would think about alcohol content the next time they purchased or consumed it. At baseline, less than one-half (48%) knew that ethanol is the pure alcohol in all beverage alcohol, and slightly more than two-thirds (69%) knew the recommended daily limits of moderate alcohol consumption for males and females. At follow-up, 81% knew that ethanol is in all beverage alcohol, and 81% knew the recommendations for moderate consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Knowing the definitions of a standard drink and of moderation are essential aspects of responsible alcohol consumption, yet some food and nutrition experts lack this knowledge – as do many consumers. Given the important role they play in influencing consumer behavior, these findings underscore the importance of ‘educating the educators,’ when it comes to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for alcohol. FUNDING SOURCES: The authors received no financial support for the research or authorship of this presentation.