When did science become public enemy number one? Every time a study is published, politicians and public figures emerge to question the new data. “I’m not a scientist,” they customarily begin. “But this new data must be wrong because it contradicts one of my childhood beliefs.”
We hold a very different attitude: When data contradict our beliefs, we lean towards the data. If the data are compelling enough, we will abandon our previously held beliefs. In other words, if your beliefs crash headlong into reality, it is unlikely that reality is the problem.
We hold a very different attitude: When data contradict our beliefs, we lean towards the data. If the data are compelling enough, we will abandon our previously held beliefs. In other words, if your beliefs crash headlong into reality, it is unlikely that reality is the problem.
Science Fun Fact: We have a dear friend who spends his days in a windowless laboratory tirelessly collecting mouse poo. Unfortunately, he cannot just scoop it from the bottom of each cage. That would introduce too many potential contaminates. Instead, he gives each mouse a soft squeeze while tickling it’s anus with a sterile Q-Tip. Apparently, this procedure reliably provokes mice to poo on queue.
Our friend does not tickle mouse anuses because he enjoys it. He studies gut microbes. Simply put, his desire to extend human knowledge is stronger than his aversion to methods he must use to gain that knowledge.
His dedication to uncovering truth is absolute. And the day he finally publishes his findings, we fully expect some idiot politician to proclaim, “I’m not a scientist but this new data must be wrong because it contradicts my grandmother’s insistence that most disease is caused by going outside without a sweater.”
We love science. We especially love science that forces us to rethink our beliefs. The fact that drinkers outlive non-drinkers is a great example. What about heavy drinkers, we asked? Surely they die young. It sounds logical, but the data show that even heavy drinkers outlive non-drinkers.
A British study in 1981 first uncovered the counterintuitive relationship between alcohol consumption and longevity. That study found a remarkable pattern. Moderate drinkers live longer than heavy drinkers who live longer than non-drinkers.
That study led to a wave of criticism, mostly because the conclusions appeared to contradict common sense. It also led to a wave of follow-up studies, all of which have confirmed that alcohol consumption is positively correlated to a longer life.
In 2010, a team of researchers at the University of Texas published a study designed to settle the debate once and for all. These researchers examined the health and lifestyle of 1,824 adults for 20 years, recording all deaths, causes of death and even other health risk factors such as obesity, depression, smoking, physical activity and whether any of the subjects had a previous drinking problem. Armed with this sea of data, the researchers were able to mathematically account for other health factors and isolate the effects of drinking.
They found, “Compared to moderate drinkers, abstainers had a more than 2 times increased mortality risk, heavy drinkers had 70% increased risk, and light drinkers had 23% increased risk.” In other words, moderate drinkers outlived everyone: non-drinkers, light drinkers and even heavy drinkers. And, while heavy drinkers did have an increased risk of dying, they also outlived the non-drinkers.
This is great news for those of us who consider ourselves to be moderate drinkers. But it still begs the question, how did the University of Texas researchers define light, moderate and heavy drinking?
The researchers used the standard Centers for Disease Control definition of a single drink. One drink is equivalent to 12-ounces of beer, a 1.5-ounces or a “shot” of hard alcohol or a 5-ounce pour of wine. They parted ways, however, with US government recommendations on moderate drinking. The USDA defines moderate drinking as, “up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.” The researchers instead used a far more European definition of moderate drinking, allowing up to three drinks per day.
A British study in 1981 first uncovered the counterintuitive relationship between alcohol consumption and longevity. That study found a remarkable pattern. Moderate drinkers live longer than heavy drinkers who live longer than non-drinkers.
That study led to a wave of criticism, mostly because the conclusions appeared to contradict common sense. It also led to a wave of follow-up studies, all of which have confirmed that alcohol consumption is positively correlated to a longer life.
In 2010, a team of researchers at the University of Texas published a study designed to settle the debate once and for all. These researchers examined the health and lifestyle of 1,824 adults for 20 years, recording all deaths, causes of death and even other health risk factors such as obesity, depression, smoking, physical activity and whether any of the subjects had a previous drinking problem. Armed with this sea of data, the researchers were able to mathematically account for other health factors and isolate the effects of drinking.
They found, “Compared to moderate drinkers, abstainers had a more than 2 times increased mortality risk, heavy drinkers had 70% increased risk, and light drinkers had 23% increased risk.” In other words, moderate drinkers outlived everyone: non-drinkers, light drinkers and even heavy drinkers. And, while heavy drinkers did have an increased risk of dying, they also outlived the non-drinkers.
This is great news for those of us who consider ourselves to be moderate drinkers. But it still begs the question, how did the University of Texas researchers define light, moderate and heavy drinking?
The researchers used the standard Centers for Disease Control definition of a single drink. One drink is equivalent to 12-ounces of beer, a 1.5-ounces or a “shot” of hard alcohol or a 5-ounce pour of wine. They parted ways, however, with US government recommendations on moderate drinking. The USDA defines moderate drinking as, “up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.” The researchers instead used a far more European definition of moderate drinking, allowing up to three drinks per day.
Here’s how the study defined drinking levels:
Abstainers: 0 drinks per day.
Light Drinkers: 1 drink per day.
Moderate Drinkers: less than 3 drinks per day.
Heavy Drinkers: 3 or more drinks per day.
We hesitate to say that avoiding alcohol is a high-risk activity, but the data certainly point in that direction. Check out our alcohol quantity recommendations for more information on how much you can healthfully drink.
