Government Study on Alcohol and Mortality Excluded From Dietary Guidelines

A study commissioned to examine alcohol-related health harms was released independently on Tuesday after officials decided not to include its findings in the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The research, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, concluded that health risks increase with just one drink a day and that no level of alcohol consumption provides a protective effect on mortality.

Moderate drinking levels were linked to higher risks of premature death and more than 200 diseases, including heart disease and cancer.

Background on the guidelines process The study was one of two government reviews intended to inform the new dietary guidelines. ” Researchers said the published advice lacked detailed practical information about drinking risks. One official who led the multi-year effort accused the current administration of sidelining the research.

The administration denied the allegation. The official, who was laid off last year during a government workforce reduction, wrote in an accompanying editorial that challenges to alcohol policy stem from conflicts with commercial interests rather than scientific uncertainty.

Industry and congressional response After a draft report circulated last year, the alcohol industry launched campaigns to discredit the work. A House oversight committee report earlier this year described the study as “fraught with bias” and accused the authors of predetermined conclusions.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said the agency reviewed the study alongside other scientific evidence and followed the established process for developing the guidelines. The guidelines reflect the totality of the scientific record, not any single report, the spokesperson stated.

Researchers defend findings The lead researcher told The Associated Press that participants were vetted for conflicts of interest and that the results were scientifically sound. The researcher said he was asked during the current administration to end the study but declined.

Study authors said their results support a more specific recommendation that adult drinkers limit intake to one drink or fewer per day. One author noted that while the guidelines correctly state that less is best, quantity information is needed for a truly informative guideline.

The new study differed from another government-commissioned review, which linked moderate alcohol use to lower overall mortality risk while also noting increased disease risk. Researchers on the newly released study examined only deaths directly attributed to alcohol to reduce confounding factors.

Alignment with recent research The findings align with other recent studies showing that less drinking is better for health. A 2019 study found moderate drinking slightly raised risks of stroke and high blood pressure and offered no protective health effects.

Earlier research suggesting heart benefits has been undermined by improved methods that control for education, income, and health care access. About half of Americans age 12 or older consumed alcohol in the past month, making it the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States.

One standard drink equals a 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a shot of liquor.