US advocacy agency Alcohol Justice has attacked the recent update to alcohol consumption guidance in the country as containing none of the elements required for an “effective set of behavioural guidelines”.
Last week, the US departments of health & human services and of agriculture (USDA) published the latest update to the country’s federal Dietary Guidelines. The recommendations for alcohol advised the country’s drinkers to “consume less alcohol for better overall health”, replacing previous recommendations that adults limit their intake to one or two drinks per day.
The announcement drew a neutral reaction from trade associations in the US alcohol industry.
Alcohol Justice, however, was more forthright, claiming the position “misses the fact that the people most in need of guidance are those who do not already have obvious reasons to be concerned”.
“In particular,” the organisation added, “youth consumption is completely ignored, even though the guidelines have another section specifically dedicated to special dietary considerations by age.”
Leaning into “the preponderance of evidence” that, according to Alcohol Justice, “show no safe level of consumption”, the agency added: “The language does clearly establish that, no matter how much you drink, you are healthier if you drink less, but it fails to translate that truth into an actual behavioural target.”
Executive director Miryom Yisrael said: “We all deserve rational, well-supported advice for how to live longer and be healthier. It is sad and frustrating to see the USDA abdicating its responsibility to educate the public on alcohol harm.”
Alcohol Policy has subsequently called on other NGOs, community groups or medical authorities to take the lead with consumers going forward and recommended resources such as the US Alcohol Policy Alliance’s ‘Alcohol Consumption Guidelines for the American People‘ report.
