Possible Changes to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Alcohol

July 9, 2010

Commentary
by Dr. Tim Naimi

The alcohol section of the new Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report (PDF) could represent a radical departure from the 2005 Dietary Guidelines¹ if its conclusions are reflected in the final Dietary Guideline for alcohol scheduled to come out later this year. The proposed increase in daily drinking guidelines that would be defined as “moderate” drinking, the lack of randomized studies on the health effects of alcohol consumption, and potentially dangerous public health messages are some of the reasons these proposed changes are concerning – and worth your time to submit comments by July 15.

The current Dietary Guidelines for alcohol provides drinking guidelines outlining the safest way to consume alcohol for the full range of the U.S. population that already drinks alcohol: up to 2 drinks per day for men and up to 1 drink per day for women (2/1 daily consumption guidelines). However, the new Advisory Committee report proposes that 2/1 consumption guidelines be based on average, rather than daily, consumption. Furthermore, the report would explicitly define “moderate” drinking as drinking up to 4 drinks per day for men and 3 drinks for women (4/3 daily consumption guidelines), so long as the average limits are not exceeded.

If most drinkers drank on a daily basis, then 2/1 daily guidelines would be identical to the proposed 2/1 average guidelines.  But this is not how most people drink in the U.S. For example, among men and women who drink an average of <2/1 drinks, respectively, more than three-quarters consume alcohol only 2-3 days per week or less.² Therefore, with respect to the proposed guidelines, most persons’ consumption on any given day would not be constrained by the proposed new weekly (i.e. “average”) guideline, but would only be affected by the new daily guideline. So in fact the net effect of the proposed change amounts to an endorsement for most men to consume up to 4 drinks and for most women to consume up to 3 drinks on days they actually consume alcohol. (more…)

Evans resigns after DUI charge

Associated Press   Updated: July 5, 2010, 4:57 PM ET

ATHENS, Ga. — Damon Evans offered another apology on the day his resignation as Georgia’s athletic director was announced by the school’s president.

The announcement by Michael Adams came after a conference call with the executive committee of the athletic association’s board of directors Monday. Adams said Evans resigned Sunday, less than a week after Evans was arrested on a DUI charge.

Evans released a statement Monday in which he offered “my sincerest apology” to Adams, Georgia officials, coaches, fans and student-athletes.

Evans was 34 when he was chosen athletic director in 2004.

“It had been my hope since taking the job in 2004 that I would have a long career at UGA,” Evans said. “But because of a serious mistake in judgment, that won’t be the case and I understand that I have a long road to rebuilding my reputation and career.”

Adams read a statement and said he will have no other comment until Tuesday.

Evans was arrested late Wednesday in Atlanta. He was charged with DUI and failure to maintain a lane. Also arrested with him was Courtney Fuhrmann, who was charged with disorderly conduct.

Evans said Thursday Fuhrmann is “just a friend.” According to the incident report, the arresting officer said Fuhrmann told him she had been seeing Evans for “only a week or so.”

Evans and his wife, Kerri, have two children. He apologized to his wife Thursday as she attended his news conference.

Evans became the Southeastern Conference’s first black athletic director in 2004. (more…)