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HEALTH

German guidelines for alcohol intake are too high, study argues

Having one glass of wine a day has long been considered harmless. But a new study has found that even moderate consumption of alcohol is detrimental for one's health, and countries such as Germany need to review their guidelines.

Published: 13 April 2018 10:03 CEST
German guidelines for alcohol intake are too high, study argues
Photo: DPA

The study, which was published on Friday in the scientific journal ‘The Lancet’, found that even drinking alcohol in moderation shortens life expectancy and increases risks of cardiovascular diseases, strokes and various other diseases.

The guidelines for alcohol consumption are also too high in many countries, including Germany, the study states. More than 100 grams of pure alcohol per week – which corresponds to about five and a half glasses of wine or 2.5 litres of beer – contributes to a decline in health.

According to the German Nutrition Society (DGE), 140 grams for men and 70 grams for women are considered the tolerable weekly pure alcohol consumption values.

Germans over the age of 15 consume an average of 10.7 litres of pure alcohol per year, an analysis in the newest addition of the annual book ‘Sucht’ (Addition) reveals. This corresponds to about 165 grams per week – far higher than the amount the study recommends.

“The central message of this research for public health is that if you drink alcohol, reduced consumption can help you live longer and reduce your risk of multiple cardiovascular diseases,” says lead researcher Angela Wood from Cambridge University.

From a quantity of 100 grams per week, intake of pure alcohol shortens life expectancy in both men and women. Increased alcohol consumption is moreover associated with a greater risk of stroke, heart failure, high blood pressure and deadly aortic aneurysms, according to the study.

Scientists in the health sector who were not involved in the study support its findings.

“This study has great significance due to its sample size,” said Hans-Jürgen Rumpf, former president of an addition research and therapy association (DG-Sucht).

“The recommendation of 100 grams per week should lead to a rethink and downward revision of the limit values for men,” Rumpf added.

Cornelia Lange from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) emphasizes that the results should “serve as a stimulus to review and, if necessary, revise the German guidelines.”

An international team comprised of several German scientists analyzed 83 studies from 19 affluent countries involving almost 600,000 participants to complete their research.

The amount of alcohol consumption among participants was monitored and recorded for at least one year. Data analysis took age, gender, tobacco use, diabetes and other factors related to cardiovascular disease into account.

HEALTH

Lengthy waiting times at Danish hospitals not going away yet: minister

Danish Minister for the Interior and Health Sophie Løhde has warned that, despite increasing activity at hospitals, it will be some time before current waiting lists are reduced.

Published: 10 May 2023 15:09 CEST
Lengthy waiting times at Danish hospitals not going away yet: minister

The message comes as Løhde was set to meet with officials from regional health authorities on Wednesday to discuss the progress of an acute plan for the Danish health system, launched at the end of last year in an effort to reduce a backlog of waiting times which built up during the coronavirus crisis.

An agreement with regional health authorities on an “acute” spending plan to address the most serious challenges faced by the health services agreed in February, providing 2 billion kroner by the end of 2024.

READ ALSO: What exactly is wrong with the Danish health system?

The national organisation for the health authorities, Danske Regioner, said to newspaper Jyllands-Posten earlier this week that progress on clearing the waiting lists was ahead of schedule.

Some 245,300 operations were completed in the first quarter of this year, 10 percent more than in the same period in 2022 and over the agreed number.

Løhde said that the figures show measures from the acute plan are “beginning to work”.

“It’s positive but even though it suggests that the trend is going the right way, we’re far from our goal and it’s important to keep it up so that we get there,” she said.

“I certainly won’t be satisfied until waiting times are brought down,” she said.

“As long as we are in the process of doing postponed operations, we will unfortunately continue to see a further increase [in waiting times],” Løhde said.

“That’s why it’s crucial that we retain a high activity this year and in 2024,” she added.

Although the government set aside 2 billion kroner in total for the plan, the regional authorities expect the portion of that to be spent in 2023 to run out by the end of the summer. They have therefore asked for some of the 2024 spending to be brought forward.

Løhde is so far reluctant to meet that request according to Jyllands-Posten.

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