‘Young people should NOT drink’: A landmark study warns under-40s to avoid ALL alcohol for health reasons – but a small glass of red wine may reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes in older adults
- People under the age of 40 shouldn’t consume alcohol, according to a new study
- Researchers have found that those who drink alcohol are more likely to sustain injuries, commit suicide, or be the victims of homicide
- However, around 60% of the world’s population who drink heavily is between 15 and 39 years old
- Drinking has some benefits for older people, as it can reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease, and other conditions
Put the barrel away. People under the age of 40 should never consume alcohol because it provides them with no health benefits while increasing their risk of injury and death, a new study finds.
Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle found that people under 40 who drink alcohol are more likely to be injured in a car accident, suicide or homicide than their alcohol-avoiding peers.
For people over 40, however, drinking could have some benefit, as a glass of red wine every day can help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke or diabetes.
According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 66 percent of US adults consume alcohol each year, and five percent are heavy drinkers.
Researchers found that people under 40 benefit nothing from drinking and should avoid it altogether if possible (file photo)
“Our message is simple: Young people shouldn’t drink, but older people can benefit from drinking small amounts,” said Dr. Emmanuela Gakidou in a statement.
Researchers, who published their findings in the Lancet on Thursday, collected data from over 200 countries for their Global Burden of Diseases study.
They compared alcohol consumption to 22 health conditions or outcomes, such as injuries, heart disease, cancer and more.
While the general public is likely aware of some of the dangers of alcohol — and particularly the damage it can cause to a person’s liver — researchers set out to determine who suffered what level of risk and under what conditions.
They found that in 2020, around 1.3 billion people, or around 15 percent of the world’s population, consumed harmful amounts of alcohol.
Almost three out of five people who drank risky were between the ages of 15 and 39 – age groups for whom drinking alcohol is not recommended.
About 75 percent of this group were men.
The researchers found that people in this age group have no benefit from drinking and are more likely to harm themselves from drinking.
However, there is some latitude a person has when drinking before it can cause them long-term health damage.
Researchers found that a man aged 15 to 39 can drink an average of 0.136 drinks a day — or just under one drink a week — and not have anything to worry about.
For women under 40, the tolerance increases to .273 a day, or just under two drinks a week.
Older people who drink red wine every once in a while may reduce their risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other conditions (file photo)
However, convincing younger people not to drink is a difficult task, particularly in the US and across Europe, where alcohol is ingrained in younger cultures.
“While it’s not realistic to think that young adults will stop drinking, we think it’s important to share the latest evidence so everyone can make informed decisions about their health,” Gakidou said.
Older people have a better cushion with drinking and their health and can even benefit from a drink now and then.
Researchers found that people aged 40 to 64 could drink up to two a day and stay healthy.
Older people, people 65 and older, can stretch that to three drinks a day.
This difference stems from the potential health benefits of drinking for older people.
While youngsters have little to gain, older people who drink red wine generally have better heart and brain health than their peers.