Drinking in moderation: An important health disclaimer

Alcohol commercials often come with the advice to “drink responsibly.” But are there other ways that the labels used on beverages can help encourage moderation? Custom printed labels draw the eye to specific pieces of information, and manufacturers should use that to highlight important information about their products that isn’t completely evident.

For example, Boston Globe contributor Jeff Jacoby wonders why American alcohol companies don’t focus on the health benefits of drinking a moderate amount. Although alcohol must come with labels that point out possible health problems, there are also benefits to measured drinking that aren’t often discussed: Having a glass or two on a regular basis has been shown to help counter heart disease and prolong life.

“Fewer heart attacks, better cholesterol levels, reduced hospitalization rates, less weight gain, lower risk of dementia and cognitive decline — all these life-saving or life-enhancing advantages, the data suggest, are likelier to be found among men and women who down a daily drink or two than among those who never drink at all,” Jacoby writes.

The trouble is, alcohol products are barred by law from making health claims, even vague ones. And the Globe published a counter response from a Doctor who says that more evidence is needed to conclusively decide that moderate drinking is really beneficial.

However, major and minor producers should consider ways to examine their products in a new light. Even if alcohol companies legally cannot refer to their items as healthful, they should pay close attention to other ways that they can encourage moderate drinking. The labels they make have the power to spell this out.