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That is an awfully weak argument: "Yes, it's bad. Ignore the facts." The reality is that moderate drinkers flat out live longer than alcoholics and teetotalers

by ryandvm 11y ago

That is an awfully weak argument: "Yes, it's bad. Ignore the facts." The reality is that moderate drinkers flat out live longer than alcoholics and teetotalers. Fairly hard to come to the conclusion that it's "bad for you" unless your definition of bad doesn't consider... you know... not dying.

scott_s 11y ago
What you said does not match up with the article. What facts are you talking about? The article is clear that when you control for former drinkers, the benefits go away. I am a moderate drinker; usually a drink or two a week. So I would like it to be true that this is somehow beneficial to me, but I am very skeptical of that idea, and the evidence I have seen supports my skepticism.
powera 11y ago
The article says, and I quote in detail, "The World Health Organization reported last year that drinking can increase your risk of depression and anxiety, liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, suicide, violence, and accidental injury. Alcohol is also linked to cancer of the mouth, nose, larynx, oesophagus, colon, liver, and breast cancer in women."
jfoutz 11y ago
It's not clear at all why. Moderate drinkers may live longer than average, but i really doubt your teetotaler statement. - http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705377709/UCLA-study-proves-Mormons-live-longer.html?pg=all http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705377709/UCLA-study-prov... The cause is the tricky part. Perhaps moderate drinkers have a more active social live, thus having a larger support group for getting through difficult times. Perhaps they take a moment to reflect on their lives at the end of the day, thus making slightly better choices than their peers (pipe smoking, aside from smoking itself, might fall into this category http://www.seattlepipeclub.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=969877&module_id=17020 http://www.seattlepipeclub.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_...) Perhaps having wine over dinner, means meals are more thoughtful, increasing quality of food and improving quality of discussion around dinner, improving family life. Alcohol is bad for you. Perhaps in low regular doses there are some beneficial chemical effects, but what would you put that probability at .05? .1? Far more likely is a halo of other effects that come with the consumption environment.

by ryandvm 11y ago

scott_s 11y ago

What you said does not match up with the article. What facts are you talking about? The article is clear that when you control for former drinkers, the benefits go away. I am a moderate drinker; usually a drink or two a week. So I would like it to be true that this is somehow beneficial to me, but I am very skeptical of that idea, and the evidence I have seen supports my skepticism.

powera 11y ago

The article says, and I quote in detail, "The World Health Organization reported last year that drinking can increase your risk of depression and anxiety, liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, suicide, violence, and accidental injury. Alcohol is also linked to cancer of the mouth, nose, larynx, oesophagus, colon, liver, and breast cancer in women."

jfoutz 11y ago

It's not clear at all why. Moderate drinkers may live longer than average, but i really doubt your teetotaler statement. - http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705377709/UCLA-study-proves-Mormons-live-longer.html?pg=all http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705377709/UCLA-study-prov... The cause is the tricky part. Perhaps moderate drinkers have a more active social live, thus having a larger support group for getting through difficult times. Perhaps they take a moment to reflect on their lives at the end of the day, thus making slightly better choices than their peers (pipe smoking, aside from smoking itself, might fall into this category http://www.seattlepipeclub.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=969877&module_id=17020 http://www.seattlepipeclub.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_...) Perhaps having wine over dinner, means meals are more thoughtful, increasing quality of food and improving quality of discussion around dinner, improving family life. Alcohol is bad for you. Perhaps in low regular doses there are some beneficial chemical effects, but what would you put that probability at .05? .1? Far more likely is a halo of other effects that come with the consumption environment.