Friday 19 December 2014

A little of what you fancy does you good

The "Star Letter" in January's edition of the CAMRA newspaper What's Brewing comes from one Peter Edwardson of Stockport, and reads as follows:

Pete Black (What's Brewing, December) is very wide of the mark when he says "it seems extremely unlikely that there are any dangers of abstaining completely from alcohol".

In fact, there is an overwhelming weight of research evidence indicating that, even excluding those who have had to give up alcohol for specific health reasons, moderate drinkers have a lower mortality rate than total abstainers.

To give just one example, in 2006, the Archives of Internal Medicine, an American Medical Association journal, published an analysis based on 34 well-designed prospective studies and incorporating a million individual subjects, which found that "one to two drinks per day for women and two to four drinks per day for men are inversely associated with total mortality."

What is more, these benefits persist to some extent even if people drink significantly more than the offical guidelines, which in effect represent the bottom point of the risk curve.

While obviously it has to tread carefully, there is plenty of opportunity for CAMRA to take a more robust line in countering the misinformation of the anti-drink lobby.

Sounds like a sensible and well-informed chap. I'll buy him a pint if our paths ever cross...

8 comments:

  1. Takes one to know one, I find...

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  2. I read some stuff on the internet and I can quote studies. Pity that when you drill down on many studies they are revealed as observations and not conclusions..

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  3. I bet there are loads of subjects that you disagree with and are then able to quote one study, which of course will be of spurious value and then you brilliantly add to your debate with the words, 'countering the misinformation'. Because although you are not a recognised expert in any of the fields of discussion your God given two pence worth is enough to mount a ROBUST argument. Hats off to you and all your ilk.

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  4. People are always going on about the Mediterranean diet and its benefits. The reality is that the Spanish, Greeks and Italians sit down with some wine and food and actually enjoy life. As Brits the pub fulfils our same need.

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  5. Stanley Blenkinsop20 December 2014 at 09:06

    It's not the health benefits or otherwise of not drinking that bothers me.
    But what else is there to do in the evening if you're not interested in watching the shite on TV that the missus is watching ?
    5pm every day my dog delivers his lead at my feet to demand his walk because he knows that at 6pm I'm out supping my first pint.
    And if I'm home before herself has had her daily dose of soaps and celebrity bollocks she gets a face on like a bulldog licking piss off a nettle.

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  6. At least I agreed with the star letter unlike some of the other letters which really annoyed. As well as article by Steve Bury which infers that CAMRA is supporting smoothflow etc. because we happen to support Cyclops. That's a tenuous argument to say the least! CAMRA supports pubs which sell other drinks. Is CAMRA therefore supporting those drinks as well. Anyway, distraction!

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  7. I agree with this Peter fella too, Rob. He seems quite wise for a beardy type.

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