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64 sats \ 4 replies \ @Undisciplined 14 Mar \ on: Is “moderate” drinking really that bad for you? HealthAndFitness
Selection bias: those who drink moderately are generally healthier for a bunch of other reasons than those who drink heavily or not at all.
No mystery on the comparison with heavy drinkers, but why are moderate drinkers healthier than non-drinkers? Because most non-drinkers quit drinking after it caused health problems that they are recovering from.
I agree that people who drink moderately might be healthier for other reasons, including genetics.
What’s proven is that some drinks, when consumed in moderation, actually have health benefits. Like red wine—it’s got antioxidants, which are good for you.
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It's not proven. It's suggested. There are other studies that indicate less alcohol consumption is healthier at every level of consumption, until you hit zero ("Inverse J-Curve").
What's always difficult when designing nutritional studies is what the control group is doing. Is it red wine compared to no alcohol or is it red wine instead of other alcoholic beverages? Those are importantly different questions.
It's not possible to hold "other things equal" in nutrition studies, so you have to be aware of what the comparison is with.
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👀 Large study shows drinking alcohol is good for your cholesterol levels #912103
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A couple of important points
- This is an association between alcohol consumption and a health marker, not an actual health condition. There's no link to actual improvement in health outcomes: i.e. longevity or heart disease.
- This is one dimension of health that doesn't say anything about net health impact.
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