The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence fights the stigma and the disease of alcoholism and other drug addictions.

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION GUIDELINES ON ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

IF YOU DRINK, DO SO IN MODERATION

Incidence of heart disease in those who consume moderate amounts of alcohol (an average of 1 to 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women) is lower than that in nondrinkers. However, with increased consumption of alcohol, there are increased public health dangers, such as alcoholism, hypertension, obesity, stroke, cardiomyopathy, a number of cancers, liver disease, accidents, suicides, and fetal alcohol syndrome. In addition, some persons with an inherited predisposition to a variety of metabolic conditions, such as hypertriglyceridemia, pancreatitis, and porphyria should not consume alcohol at all. For the person beginning to drink alcohol, alcohol addiction and alcoholism is a real threat, heightened by a familial predisposition to alcoholism. In consideration of these risks, the AHA concludes that it is not advisable to issue guidelines to the general population that may lead some persons to increase their intake of alcohol or start drinking if they do not already do so. The advisability of consuming alcohol in moderation (no more than 2 drinks per day) is best determined in consultation with the individual's primary care physician.

(Source: 1996 Dietary Guildelines for Healthy American Adults: A Statement for Health Professionals from the Nutrition Committee, American Heart Association)

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.

244 East 58th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10022 phone: 212/269-7797   fax: 212/269-7510 email: national@ncadd.org   http://www.ncadd.org HOPE LINE: 800/NCA-CALL (24-hour Affiliate referral)