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15th July 2022
10:38am BST
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Collating data from 204 countries, researchers found that 1.34 billion people drank harmful amounts of alcohol in 2020, 59 per cent of which were aged 15-39.
They have suggested the strictest guidelines for this age group, a third of which were men because they are typically at greater risk of injury or death relating to car accidents, suicides, and murders.
"Our message is simple: young people should not drink, but older people may benefit from drinking small amounts," said the senior author, Dr Emmanuela Gakidou.
"While it may not be realistic to think young adults will abstain from drinking, we do think it's important to communicate the latest evidence so that everyone can make informed decisions about their health."
Using information provided by the 2020 Global Burden of Disease list, researchers were able to estimate how much alcohol a person can drink before the threat of significant risk. They found that the level increases in a person's lifetime, but for 15-39-year-olds, just 0.136 of the standard drink is safe. This is about the same size as a shot glass.
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The amount was slightly different for women of the same age, with their team recommending o.273 drinks.
Those over 40 could find minor health benefits in drinking a small amount, such as a reduced risk of ischaemic heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Even between 40-54, the recommended consumption levels range between half a standard drink and almost two. Potential health risks peaked at three standard drinks a day.
Still, the average drink number for those over 40 is around 1.87 drinks a day.
While it could be argued that most people drink knowing it's not particularly good for them, this new study could offer insight into the specifics of how drinking culture affects our health.
