Older persons interpret moderate alcohol consumption much more loosely than the guidelines of the World Health Organization actually intend, namely two to three glasses a day for men and two glasses for women. Such is the conclusion of an Americans study on senior citizens.

Most respondents are also well aware of the health effects of moderate alcohol consumption. The researchers put this down to the popularity of the subject in the media combined with the growing scientific interest in the influence of moderate alcohol consumption on health.

The American National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism warns against the adverse effects of these positive messages, because it is far from clear what moderate drinking in fact means. The researchers point out that there is no universally accepted border between what is healthy alcohol consumption and what is unhealthy. Studies set this threshold variously from one glass a day to four glasses a day. The researchers are concerned that the lack of clarity in combination with the increasing literature on the positive aspects of moderate consumption entails a certain danger of overconsumption.

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