Not sure about grabbing that beer? You’re not alone. Americans are reaching for alcohol at record lows, according to a new Gallup survey.
The survey, out Aug. 20, found the number of Americans who say they drink alcohol sits at 54% for the second consecutive year − and health concerns appear to be a major factor.
“Fifty-one percent of U.S. adults now believe drinking one or two alcoholic beverages a day is bad for one’s health,” the survey results noted. “The figure is essentially unchanged from last year’s record-high 53%.”
In 2001, only 27% considered moderate drinking bad for one’s health, according to Gallup.
I wonder how this currently matches the actual quantity people are drinking. Historically the “how much do you drink” and sales records indicated massive under estimation to the point this might really be people are drinking what they said they were in 2001.
That said alcohol is a mood amplifier for me… So I avoid entirely if not in a good mood… And really have been enjoying the na beers, not as good as a nice craft beer but when I feel like a beer while watching something at home or playing video games hits close enough without the mind altering part (and if I want to do anything later in the evening and its a weekend this is a good thing)
I certainly am not avoiding a good drink at the bar, see no real reason to think one drink day is particularly bad if that is what you are actually doing (the headlines on the recent health studies are overblown, not saying the science is wrong but nuance in science reporting is awful as usual) but if you are not enjoying it really no reason to have it just because.
If you had to pick either healthy or unhealthy, a drink a day would fall under unhealthy, but it also might be statistically irrelevant due to having such a small impact.
I do think its worth noting that alcohol does actually change its effects the more you drink though. The effects of intoxication don’t just increase, they cascade to other parts of the brain. Someone who consistently stays under one drink is essentially on a different drug than someone who draws the line at three.
So the point of the recent research is they find no benefits at any level, at or less than 1 a day very little impact. Also it’s large population studies so and all cause mortality so exact relations are not in the studies… And I could have many practices of infrequent drinkers it be interesting to control for before loosing sleep over a drink some evenings… And a non alcoholic drink others. (Although avoiding alcohol late in the evening improves sleep so)
There is not a lot of nuance. No amount of alcohol is beneficial to your body’s function. Any amount is harmful. Pulling out the magnifying glass looking for additional nuance smacks of motivated reasoning.
But is the risk more or less then crossing the busy American strode… Is it accounting for how you travel too or from the bar this is the nuance… And the paper has it the artical does not