Preventive Nutrition. The Comprehensive Guide for Health Professionals

Abstract

Excessive alcohol consumption contributes to 4 of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States. Alcohol consumption is split, with 33% of the population consuming 95% of the alcoholic beverages and 33% abstaining. The US population median intake is much less than the average (mean) intake. An increase in average alcohol intake could increase the harm to the vulnerable subgroup that seems to be a predictable portion of the population. One alcohol drink per day gives little detectable blood alcohol for 22 of the 24 h in a day, leading to uncertain mechanisms for hypotheses regarding its long-term benefit. In 2000, exposure to alcohol caused 3.2% of deaths and 4% of disability worldwide. The dramatic difference in deaths resulting from ischemic heart disease in France (compared to the United States and England) is much less when combined with deaths from alcohol-associated causes. A causal role for alcohol in decreasing cardiovascular mortality has not been proven.