Grapevine: My Moderate Consumption Your Excess? Or Not?
Recently, I’ve been reporting on the negative effects of alcohol consumption, specifically in two areas: alcohol levels and calorie count.
I focused on the gradients of alcohol levels as controlled by nature and by winemakers. My suggestion: seek out lower alcohol wines – and consume in moderation.
For calorie content, I focused on the dietary consequences of consumption. My suggestion: seek out alternative grapes and wines that by their nature have fewer calories – and consume in moderation.
But what constitutes moderate consumption? Is there a universal standard? Yes, but it’s a general standard, meant to provide a guideline. The USDA-endorsed definition of moderation is two glasses of wine per day for an adult male and one glass per day for an adult female. (The equivalent of one glass of wine–five ounces–is one 12-ounce beer or one shot of spirits, 1.5 ounces.)
But general guidelines can be radically different in their impact on adults. Is my level of moderation the same as yours? Is my ability to tolerate wine different than yours? Is my moderation your excess? There are many factors to consider on a consumer-by-consumer basis: metabolism, genetics, age and physiological capacity to absorb alcohol.
The key take-away of alcohol consumption is that more is not better. Greater-than-moderate consumption has no health benefits, only negative effects. Another consideration, for those who take advantage of moderation as a socially acceptable health reason to ingest alcohol: consuming alcohol is not the ideal prescription for good health. One can achieve more natural health benefits by adopting a healthy diet and a regimen of regular exercise.
Considering the popular and scientific notion that moderate consumption of alcohol is acceptable, let’s focus on the actual levels of consumption by adults in the United States.
I came across a study recently. As with most studies I evaluate, I’m always suspect of the predetermined criteria utilized and the sometimes subjective conclusions reached. With that in mind, a study by Philip J. Cook, “Paying the Tab,” as reported in the Washington Post, reports the following statistical analysis of overall alcohol consumption in the United States (wine consumption is not segregated). I found portions of the results quite revealing of Americans’ propensity for alcohol.
While a picture is worth a thousand words, this space is not conducive for graphs, so allow me to present the results of the study in narrative form.
At the bottom of the chart are the 30 percent of Americans who consume no alcohol.
However, the top 30 percent of us consume one drink per day.
The top 20 percent consume two drinks per day.
The top 10 percent consume an astounding 10 drinks or more per day. That equates to 18 bottles of wine per week or 12 six-packs of beer or 4.5 bottles of spirits.
For reference, the median consumption is three drinks a week.
The study also reinforces an axiom of the Pareto Law evident in many statistical analyses: the top 20 percent of consumers account for 80 percent of sales.
The report reinforces the concern over alcoholic consumption at an earlier time in our nation’s history. In the early part of the 20th century, alcohol consumption reached alarming levels, and the attendant social problems were widespread. A grassroots movement began to swell in favor of total abstinence, resulting in the 18th Amendment to the Constitution prohibiting the sale and consumption of all alcoholic beverages. For the next 13 years (1920-1933), our country conducted what amounted to a mass study on the effects of abstinence. We all know the outcome: Americans like their alcohol. Prohibition failed and the consumption of alcohol reached its pre-Prohibition levels fairly quickly.
Trying to drink in all these statistics can be overwhelming. But we should focus on our individual drinking patterns and habits. Drink consciously and conscientiously: conscious of the pitfalls of alcohol consumption and conscientious of its impact on our bodies and our lives.
Nick Antonaccio is a 35-year Pleasantville resident. For over 15 years he has conducted wine tastings and lectures. He also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine.
