Federal dietary guidelines remove specific daily alcohol limits

The federal government’s updated Dietary Guidelines, issued on Wednesday, no longer set specific daily limits for alcohol consumption, instructing people instead to consume less alcohol “for better overall health” and to “limit alcohol beverages.” The guidelines also omit previous warnings about alcohol’s links to cancer.

Since the Dietary Guidelines began in 1980, officials advised one or two standard drinks a day and later set limits of no more than two drinks a day for men and one for women. The new guidance removes those daily caps — long used as benchmarks in clinical studies and medical advice — and does not recommend clear limits or distinguish between men and women.

The guidelines advise people who are pregnant, who have alcohol use disorder or who take medications that interact with alcohol to avoid drinking, and urge those with alcoholism in the family to “be mindful of alcohol consumption and associated addictive behaviors.” They also no longer include a warning from the 2020 guidelines that even moderate drinking may increase the risk of cancer, some forms of cardiovascular disease and the overall risk of dying.

At a news briefing, Dr.

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Health, Dietary Guidelines, Alcohol Consumption, Mehmet Oz, Breast Cancer, Alcohol Industry