Concerns raised over new US alcohol guidance
Alcohol Justice, a California-based advocacy agency, has questioned the new alcohol consumption guidance released by the US Department of Health on 7 January.
The new USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), 2025–2030 has notably scrapped the previous recommendations on quantitative limits for alcohol consumption.
Alcohol Justice outlined shortcomings in the guidelines, in that it “fails to acknowledge the long-standing maximum consumption levels of years, and removes the explanations of the risks of even light drinking that had been in past editions”.
As a result, the advocacy is calling for credible, science-driven groups to step up with actionable information about alcohol harm.
Alcohol Justice emphasised that an effective set of behavioural guidelines for alcohol consumption should include three essential components: a clear description of the risks involved, concise actions individuals can take to reduce those risks, and thorough, accessible documentation of the data used to formulate the recommendations.
The advocacy group believes that the new USDA report is lacking in several areas.
It simply advises US residents to “consume less alcohol for better overall health,” and warns certain groups, including pregnant women, individuals with a history of alcohol use disorder, and those taking medications that interact with alcohol, to exercise particular caution.
According to Alcohol Justice, while the DGA address certain priority groups, they fail to provide guidance for those who may need it most – namely, individuals who do not already have clear reasons for concern about alcohol consumption.
Notably, the issue of youth drinking is completely overlooked, despite the guidelines having a section dedicated to dietary considerations by age group.
The statement said: “The stripped-down guidelines create a mixed blessing for public health advocacy. As an element of health education, they fail to provide plain cues that would inspire someone to aggressively cut back on their drinking.
“At the same time, the prior DGA guidelines – one drink per day for women, two per day for men – were increasingly disconnected from the preponderance of evidence around alcohol harm, which shows no safe level of consumption.
“The language does clearly establish that, no matter how much you drink, you are healthier if you drink less. But it fails to translate that truth into an actual, motivational, transformational behavioural target.
“If the USDA will not provide these targets and inspire positive health behaviour change, the public desperately needs someone else to.”
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