Season 1, Episode 7 Guest, Eric Rimm SCD
For over 30 years the Dietary Guidelines for Americans have recommended ‘moderation’ for those who drink alcohol. But what is moderation?
The Guidelines may be relatively consistent but drinking patterns (especially during Covid-19 pandemic), and types of beverages have changed significantly.
Harvard’s Dr. Eric Rimm, thought leader, alcohol researcher, and True Health Initiative Council member, joins Kathleen Zelman on the podcast for a spirited conversation into the prevailing wisdom and body of evidence on the benefits vs risks of alcohol consumption.
There is no recommendation to start drinking for health. So, if you don’t drink, don’t start. The rest applies to those who do drink alcohol.
They discuss how, in the context of a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity, not smoking, wholesome diet and healthy body weight, alcohol in moderation confers health benefits. Learn more about the risks; who should avoid alcohol; binge drinking and the importance of moderation.
Key messages:
- The weight of the evidence continues to support moderate drinking defined as two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.
- Many variables play into these recommendations including genetics, so it is wise to discuss alcohol consumption with your physician.
- It doesn’t matter if you choose spirits, wine or beer.
- A drink (standard drink equivalent) is 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits, OR 5 ounces of 12% alcohol wine, OR 12 ounces regular (not high gravity or craft) 5% alcohol beer.
- Beware of the calories! Drinking too much leads to weight gain. Most alcohol is 100-150 calories per serving but that does not include mixers.
- It’s best to enjoy alcohol with food and it’s not a bad idea to take off one day a week of alcohol consumption.
Dr. Eric Rimm
Eric Rimm, SCD is professor of epidemiology and nutrition and director of the program in cardiovascular epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School. He is internationally recognized for his extensive work in the study of the health effects of moderate alcohol consumption, whole grains, micronutrients, and polyphenols. He also studies the impact of local and national nutrition policy as it relates to the improvement of diets of school children, the 1 in 8 Americans on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and other federal nutrition assistance programs. He served on the National Academy of Sciences’ food policy advisory committee for the USDA’s Economic Research Service and previously served on the scientific advisory committee for the 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. He is also a nutritional advisor to the Boston Red Sox and the Liverpool Football Club in the English Premier League. He has published more than 800 peer-reviewed publications during his 28 years on the faculty at Harvard. Eric has received several awards for his work including the American Society for Nutrition Innovation Award.
