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Federal Health Guidelines Walk a Fine Line
Posted by perle0 on 2005-01-15 00:03:48
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[News] |
| The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, published jointly every 5 years by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), has recently been released. On the subject of alcoholic beverages, the Guidelines tread very carefully. |
The authors of the guidelines clearly want to avoid recommending alcohol for its health benefits, lest its readers take this as a license to drink. However, they can't deny some of the proven benefits of moderate levels of drinking, especially of wine.
Here are their key recommendations. Note that these "key" elements contain nothing at all about the benefits of moderate drinking.
• Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation--defined as the consumption of up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.
• Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by some individuals, including those who cannot restrict their alcohol intake, women of childbearing age who may become pregnant, pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents, individuals taking medications that can interact with alcohol, and those with specific medical conditions.
• Alcoholic beverages should be avoided by individuals engaging in activities that require attention, skill, or coordination, such as driving or operating machinery. |
You can read the whole chapter of the Guidelines on alcohol here (PDF). |
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