Moderate Alcohol Consumption Linked to Higher Risk of Death and Disease, Study Finds

Even low levels of alcohol use come with health risks, said lead author Kevin Shield, PhD, an associate professor at the University of Toronto and senior scientist who leads the WHO/PAHO Collaborating Centre in Addiction and Mental Health.

The study, appearing in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, challenges the view that moderate drinking is harmless or beneficial. Researchers evaluated more than 7,200 scientific articles on diseases and injuries linked to alcohol, then combined those findings with large U.S. health data sets.

Using statistical models, the team estimated how different consumption levels affect the likelihood of developing serious illnesses or dying prematurely over a lifetime. The analysis covered cardiovascular disease, liver disease, injuries and several cancers, including esophageal, oral and breast cancers.

“This study provides the most comprehensive U.S. estimates to date of lifetime risks of alcohol-attributable mortality and morbidity, showing that even moderate levels of consumption increase the risk of premature death and disability,” said study co‑author Katherine M. Keyes, PhD, professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

Keyes added, “No protective effect of drinking was observed even at low levels.”

One of the most notable findings is that consuming two alcoholic drinks per day—a level often described as socially moderate—was associated with a substantially higher risk of premature death attributable to alcohol.

The results provide more specific information than the latest U.S. Dietary Guidelines, which advise Americans to “limit alcoholic beverages” without specifying a safe amount.

Overall, the study suggests that alcohol‑related health risks begin at relatively low levels of consumption and increase as intake rises.