Riskvärdering av Alkohol: En Litteraturgenomgång Med Särskild Tonvikt På Ett Kvinnoperspektiv *

Abstract

This article illustrates the association between alcohol exposure and the risk of developing alcohol-related problems, the different types of dose-response curves, and the particular female susceptibility. The extensive discussion on the interpretation of the J-shaped association between alcohol consumption and coronary heart disease is reviewed. Present knowledge shows that the beneficial health effects of moderate drinking are limited to minor subgroups in the general population. The possible net beneficial health effects of moderate drinking may also be achieved in less risky ways by refraining from smoking, eating less dietary fat, and engaging in regular exercise. The guidelines given in risk evaluations published over the last decade have become successively more restrictive. During this time increasing attention has been drawn to the risks associated with ‘social’ and ‘moderate’ drinking. It has been pointed out that for the moderate drinker various psycho-social problems – especially in the area of productivity and relations – are more likely to develop than organ damage.