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Alcohol—a universal preventive agent? A critical analysis
Author(s) -
Fekjær Hans Olav
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1111/add.12104
Subject(s) - observational study , medicine , association (psychology) , environmental health , psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , pathology , psychotherapist
Background In observational studies, moderate drinking is associated with a reduced risk of more than twenty different diseases and health problems. However, it would be premature to conclude that there is a causal relationship. Method This paper critically reviews the evidence for such associations. Findings It was found that reasons for questioning the causal association of moderate drinking and a reduced health risk are: the lack of dose‐response relationships; the characteristics and lifestyles of today's abstainers and moderate drinkers; the lack of plausible biological mechanisms; the problems in the classification of drinking groups, and; the general limitations of observational studies.Conclusions The evidence for the harmful effects of alcohol is undoubtedly stronger than the evidence for beneficial effects.