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New South Korea study finds reducing drinking lowers risk : NPR


A new study looks for a link between changes in alcohol consumption and dementia risk, in a study of nearly 4 million people in South Korea.

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Photos Justin Sullivan/Getty


A new study looks for a link between changes in alcohol consumption and dementia risk, in a study of nearly 4 million people in South Korea.

Photos Justin Sullivan/Getty

If you’re worried that drinking might increase your risk of dementia in old age, a large new study from South Korea may provide some insight. That starts with the idea that in general, cutting back on alcohol is a good idea.

“Maintaining light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of dementia, while drinking more alcohol increases the risk of dementia,” research by first author, Dr. Keun Hye Jeon, told NPR.

Part of the study’s conclusion seems to have surprised many: It found that while reducing moderate heavy alcohol consumption did reduce the risk of dementia, “starting drinking light wine” as well.

Research shows complex interaction between alcohol and health

“It is recommended that drinkers follow the guidelines not to stop on the grounds of a reduced risk of dementia,” says Jeon, “although cutting back on alcohol consumption may offer other health benefits. “

Compared with people who didn’t change their drinking habits, Jeon and her colleagues found that two groups had a higher risk of dementia: those who drank more and those who quit altogether.

According to the research paper, “People who quit drinking at any level of alcohol consumption have a higher risk of developing all-cause dementia than those who maintain similar drinking levels.”

Much has been made of that aspect of the findings, as people tried to analyze whether it could represent real cause and effect – and a new data point could be in the mix. decide to drink on their own. But the researchers caution that the higher risk of dementia among those who quit drinking in their study “is thought to be primarily due to the sick quitter effect, defined as a person who quits (or reduce) a certain dangerous activity because of health problems.”

In other words, they may quit drinking because their health deteriorates, not because their health deteriorates because they quit drinking.

So, what can alcoholics do to limit their risk of dementia?

When asked what surprised the researchers most about the results, Jeon said that the risk dropped sharply when people cut back on drinking, noting that heavy drinkers who drank moderately were associated with an 8 percent reduction in alcohol consumption. % risk of all-cause dementia and 12% reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

“To prevent dementia, light to moderate drinkers should limit their increased alcohol consumption, while heavy drinkers should cut back,” said Jeon, assistant professor of family medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. studying Cha in Gumi, said.

“People who don’t currently drink alcohol should not be encouraged to start as a way to reduce their risk of dementia,” she added.

Wine is known damage brain cells and impair memory and other functions. Current United States Diet guide urges adults to “drink in moderation by limiting drinking to 2 drinks or less a day for men and 1 drink or less a day for women.”

One key takeaway from the study, the researchers say, is that it shows that even reducing alcohol consumption can help reduce dementia risk.

The study included millions of adults

To look for a potential link between alcohol use and dementia outcomes, the researchers collected data from the Korea National Health Insurance Service. A government-regulated insurance company that provides a free bi-annual medical check-up to all insureds age 40 and older.

The study included nearly 4 million South Koreans — a specific group of adults who had consecutive NHIS physicals in 2009 and 2011. The tests included a questionnaire about medical history and habits. personal habits, including drinking, smoking, and exercise, along with laboratory tests and demographics. data.

The team classified people into four drinking categories: no drinkers; mild (drink less than one drink per day); moderate (one to two drinks per day) and heavy (more than two drinks per day).

United States, a standard drink is considered to contain 14 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol, slightly less than the 15 grams used in the study. That equates to a 12-ounce beer with 5% alcohol, a 5-ounce glass of wine with 12% alcohol, or 1.5 ounces of 80-degree spirits.

The researchers also ranked people by whether they quit, reduced, maintained, or increased their alcohol intake. Then, starting a year after the second physical, the researchers counted which group members had been diagnosed with dementia through the end of 2018.

The ‘sickness’ effect

“The smoking cessation effect is based on the assumption that disease onset and changes in health status will lead to alcohol cessation,” says Jeon, “so the risk is higher for former drinkers than for former drinkers.” abstainers.”

In the study, former drinkers were mostly included in a control group that didn’t drink. However, she adds, “The overall poor health of former drinkers may lead to an overestimation of the protective effects of drinking.”

The study’s authors attempted to compensate for that dynamic in a number of ways, but “the sick quitter effect remains a source of potential bias,” they write.

Another complicating factor is socioeconomic status. Research shows that people who quit drinking tend to be older and have lower incomes than those who continue to drink. On the plus side, people who quit tend to not smoke and are more likely to exercise regularly.

The Korean study also relied on people reporting on their own health habits, which the researchers acknowledge is a limitation.

What does science say about drinking?

Heavy drinking and binge drinking have been linked to chronic liver disease, high blood pressure, certain types of cancer and a host of other health problems. CDC says. Excessive alcohol consumption is also linked to violence, accidental death and injury, and harm to the developing fetus.

Outside of the US, some recent advice is more stringent. ONE major international studies IN Fingertips concluded in 2018 that “the safest level of drinking is not drinking”. And last month, Canada New updated guide caused a stir when it concluded that any level of alcohol consumption is risky and that people should limit their drinking to two standard drinks or less per week.

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