Recent research suggests that even moderate or low levels of alcohol consumption may be more harmful to individuals who are poorer or in poorer health.
This study follows earlier research that questioned the purported benefits of alcohol, indicating that previous studies may have overstated its benefits and downplayed its risks.
Dr. Rosario Ortolá, a co-author of the study from the Autonomous University of Madrid, explained that while low alcohol consumption might offer some benefits to older adults at high risk of cardiovascular disease, these benefits are minimal and can be achieved through other means such as improved diet or increased exercise.
“Alcohol consumption is linked to a higher risk of cancer from the very first drink,” Ortolá said. “Therefore, medical advice should not encourage alcohol consumption for health improvement.”
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed data from the UK Biobank, which includes information from participants who joined between 2006 and 2010. Researchers examined data from 135,103 participants aged 60 and older, categorizing their average daily alcohol intake into four levels: occasional, low risk, moderate risk, and high risk.
In this study, “occasional” drinking is defined as consuming less than a quarter of a small glass of wine per day, while “high risk” refers to at least two pints of cider daily for men or one pint for women.
The researchers tracked participant deaths up to September 2021, recording a total of 15,833 deaths. After adjusting for age and sex, they found that high-risk drinking was linked to a 33% increased risk of death from any cause compared to occasional drinking. High-risk drinking was also associated with higher risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Moderate-risk drinking was associated with a 10% higher risk of death from any cause and a 15% higher risk of cancer compared to occasional drinking. Even low-risk drinking showed an 11% higher risk of cancer-related death compared to occasional drinking.
Further analysis revealed that moderate or low-risk drinking had a greater negative impact on individuals living in more deprived areas or those in poorer health.
“We believe older adults with poorer health are more vulnerable to alcohol’s harmful effects due to their higher levels of illness, increased use of alcohol-interacting medications, and reduced alcohol tolerance,” Ortolá noted.
She also highlighted that socioeconomically disadvantaged groups experience higher rates of alcohol-related harm, likely due to additional health challenges, unhealthy lifestyles, and reduced access to healthcare.
Interestingly, the study found that a strong preference for wine or drinking only with meals appeared to reduce the risk of death, but only among those in poor health or living in high-deprivation areas. This finding needs further investigation, as it might be related to non-alcoholic components of wine or the slower absorption of alcohol when consumed with meals.
The study has limitations, including reliance on self-reported drinking data and the inability to establish causation.
Colin Angus, a medical research fellow from the University of Sheffield who was not involved in the study, confirmed that the research adds to evidence that even low alcohol consumption increases cancer risks. However, he emphasized that further research is needed to determine if the association between low drinking levels and higher mortality is stronger in poorer health or lower socioeconomic groups.
Angus also cautioned against assuming that drinking wine has unique benefits. “There is no scientific evidence that wine is better for you than other forms of alcohol,” he said. “It’s more likely that wealthier individuals who drink more wine also tend to live healthier lives and have lower mortality rates.”
