A major
report released this week found that compared with abstaining from alcohol, moderate drinking was linked to a lower risk of death from any cause and a lower risk of death from heart disease, but it was also linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.
Far from settling the debate over whether
drinking in moderation is healthy or dangerous, the report’s conclusions further
muddied the issue.
The report, released Tuesday, was commissioned by Congress and carried out by a committee from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. An update to federal dietary guidelines next year could include new recommendations about how much alcohol people should drink.