US to drop ‘one to two drinks a day’ guideline

Beer sits on the bar at McSorley’s Old Ale House in Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S., May 3, 2021. — File photo from Reuters 

The US government is expected to eliminate from its dietary guidelines the longstanding recommendation that adults limit alcohol consumption to one or two drinks per day, according to three sources familiar with the matter, in what could be a major win for an industry threatened by heightened scrutiny of alcohol’s health effects.

The updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which could be released as early as this month, are expected to include a brief statement encouraging Americans to drink in moderation or limit alcohol intake due to associated health risks, the sources said.

The guidelines are still under development and subject to change, two of the sources and a fourth individual familiar with the process said.

Currently, the recommendations advise limiting drinking to one serving or less per day for women and two or less for men, widely seen as a moderate level.

Similar guidelines exist in countries such as the United Kingdom, which advises limiting drinking to 14 units per week. In Canada, a government-backed report in 2023 warned that health risks begin to increase after just two drinks per week, though government guidance online still recommends no more than two or three drinks per day, depending on gender.

Health risks, benefits

Even moderate drinking is linked to some health risks, such as a higher risk of breast cancer, though some studies have also found an association with possible health benefits, such as a lower risk of stroke.

The fourth source said that the scientific basis for recommending specific daily limits is limited, and the goal is to ensure the guidelines reflect only the most robust evidence.

The new guidelines, developed by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of Agriculture, are closely watched internationally and influence policies ranging from school lunch programs to medical advice. Neither department responded to requests for comment.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known teetotaler, has remained largely silent on alcohol but has emphasized a focus on whole foods in the upcoming guidelines. Some alcohol executives had feared a move toward tighter recommendations on alcohol intake as authorities, such as the World Health Organization upped their warnings about alcohol’s health risks. Former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said alcohol consumption increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer and called for warning labels on alcoholic drinks.

Industry players lobby

Major industry players, including Diageo and Anheuser-Busch InBev, have lobbied lawmakers throughout the review process.

Senate records show the companies spent millions on lobbying efforts related to the guidelines and a range of other issues, such as tax and trade, in 2024 and 2025. Both companies declined to comment.

The new guidelines are set to move away from suggesting consumers limit alcohol consumption to a specific number of daily servings, according to the three sources, who asked not to be named to speak freely.

While industry representatives have lobbied lawmakers on the guidelines or how they should be decided, some officials and researchers advocated for tighter restrictions.

Reports intended to inform the guidelines have meanwhile drawn different conclusions about alcohol’s health effects and the science around this.

Science Over Bias, a group representing US growers, producers, distributors, and retailers of beer, wine, and spirits, said the industry has consistently maintained that the guidelines should be determined by sound scientific evidence and free from bias or conflicts of interest.

‘So vague, unhelpful’

“Information on responsible alcohol consumption has been part of the Dietary Guidelines for decades and has provided useful guidance for consumers who choose to consume alcohol and their health-care providers,” the group said.

The guidelines, which are reviewed every five years, have advised drinking in moderation and defined that as no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two for men since 1990.

Eva Greenthal, a senior policy scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit focused on nutrition, health, and food safety, said the more general language expected in the guidelines was “so vague as to be unhelpful.”

Under such a change, the message that even moderate drinking can increase risks, especially for breast cancer, would get lost, she continued.

Two studies were produced to inform the development of the guidelines. The first found that moderate drinking was associated with increased risk of some cancers, but a decreased risk of dying from any cause and some cardiovascular problems like stroke.

The evidence for some other health impacts was insufficient to draw conclusions, it found.

The other report conversely found the risk of dying from alcohol use, including increased risk for seven cancers, begins at any or low levels of alcohol use and increases with higher consumption.