New research proves: drinking alcohol before 40 is very bad for you
In the Netherlands, the legal drinking age is 18, in America it is 21, and in Japan you have to turn twenty first. According to these scientists, that age limit should be raised significantly everywhere: to at least forty. What?
The medical journal The Lancet recently published a major study into the health effects of alcohol consumption, both positive and negative. The study used estimated data from people in 204 countries worldwide, as well as data from the report Global Burden of Disease 2020. After crunching the numbers, the researchers concluded that approximately 1.34 billion people worldwide are harming their health by drinking alcohol. Men between 15 and 39 are particularly guilty of this.
Positive news
The study shows that alcohol can have a positive effect on your health, as long as you consume alcohol in moderation and are at least forty years old. Under certain circumstances, alcohol can therefore be good for you, as long as you don’t drink too much. According to the scientists, the limit is a maximum of two drinks per day— not a drop more.
Bad idea
On the other hand, alcohol is always a bad idea for anyone under forty if you care about your health. Another study, for example, found that people who pour themselves a drink alone at a young age are highly likely to develop an alcohol problem later in life. People who drank alcohol by themselves around the age of twenty in particular later appeared in the statistics as alcoholics.
Age
Lead researcher Dana Bryazka puts the results of the major study into perspective. ‘According to our estimates, which are based on current data, it is certainly advisable to tailor alcohol-consumption guidelines to age. In this way, we can limit the health risks of alcohol consumption, establish sound guidelines and prevent unhealthy alcohol use.’
Scientific insight
The conclusion is clear: young people would be better off not drinking alcohol at all, says author Emmanuela Gakidou of the University of Washington. ‘It is probably not realistic to think that young people will stop drinking alcohol completely, but in that case it is at least important to give them information about the latest scientific insights, so that they know what they are doing.’
Also read:
- It’s proven: alcohol improves speaking a second language
- Fact-check: does drinking alcohol help against a hangover?
- Study proves: people who make a mess with their food are healthier
Source: The Hill
