No Amount of Alcohol Safe for Heart, Study Finds

There's no such thing as a healthy amount of alcohol when it comes to heart health, according to the World Heart Federation.

In a report published on Jan. 20, the WHF “is challenging the widespread notion that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol can decrease the risk of heart disease, and calling for urgent and decisive action to tackle the unprecedented rise in alcohol-related death and disability worldwide.”

“Contrary to popular opinion, alcohol is not good for the heart,” the WHF states. Despite (or perhaps, because of) media messaging about “healthy amounts” of drinking, the rates of cardiovascular disease have nearly doubled in the 2000’s, claiming over 18.5 million lives. In 2019, over 500 millions of cardiovascular disease were reported, while 2.4 million deaths were linked to alcohol use.

The report, which cites over forty studies and global research by the World Health Organization and others, argues that alcohol abuse cuts across country and demographic lines. In particular, pervasive messaging about “healthy amounts of drinking” targets young drinkers. Among the WHF’s recommendations: Treat alcohol like previous generations treated Big Tobacco. The WHF recommends public health campaigns, raising prices and taxes, printing health warning on products and restricting alcohol marketing, especially when targeting younger adults. Finland, for example, banned alcohol advertisements on social media.

That said, the WHF report has some critics, who point out that the organization cherry-picked its findings. The American Heart Association tells CNN that they promote “moderation.” “We concluded that if one doesn't drink alcohol, do not start; and if one does drink alcohol, limit intake,” Dr. Mariell Jessup, the chief science and medical officer for the AHA, said.

While the merits of the study may yet still be debated, one quote in the WHF report resonates: “The portrayal of alcohol as necessary for a vibrant social life has diverted attention from the harms of alcohol use.”