RFK Jr.’s Controversial New Drinking Policy: Experts React

• RFK Jr., the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, recently announced new dietary guidelines, which include guidance on alcohol consumption.
• The new guidelines remove the old standard guidance of 2 drinks per day for males and 1 drink per day for females.
• Experts caution that removing a specific threshold leaves Americans without a yardstick for what constitutes moderate consumption.

The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, RFK Jr., recently released new dietary guidelines

They also changed the long-standing guidance for alcohol consumption. Prior recommendations for moderate alcohol consumption were 2 drinks per day for males and 1 drink per day for females.

“So there is alcohol [in] these dietary guidelines, but the implication is, don’t have it for breakfast. There should be something done, a small amount,” commented Mehmet Oz, MD, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in a news conference on January 7.

The new guidance for alcohol consumption states, “Consume less alcohol for better overall health.”

“The simple message to ‘consume less alcohol for better overall health’ is well-intentioned but could be interpreted in different ways,” noted Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, Preventive Cardiology Dietitian at EntirelyNourished.

She continued by stating that some may see this guidance as vague or optional, while others may underestimate the risk.

“Without clear numbers, there’s also a chance that social or cultural messaging around drinking could overshadow health considerations,” she added.

The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that even low levels of alcohol consumption can bring health risks. Alcohol can play at least a casual role in over 200 injuries, diseases, and other health conditions.

Drinking alcohol has been associated with various conditions, such as:

“The health effects of drinking alcohol have been well studied and include increased risk of many cancers (including colorectal, liver, and breast cancers), fatty liver disease and cirrhosis, heart disease (including cardiomyopathy and stroke), pancreatitis, and obesity,” said Cheng-Han Chen, MD, board certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA.

“I will still be advising my patients to drink as little as possible, and preferably not at all,” he told Healthline.

Routhenstein recommended that people who choose to drink alcohol should have a practical approach in the same way they would with any other substance that carries risk. For example, aim for as many alcohol-free days as possible.

She also encouraged people to stay within the previous low risk limits (2 drinks per day for males and 1 drink per day for females), as this is a reasonable guide. However, consuming none or fewer than those limits is always better.

“Trying a temporary break from alcohol, like a 30-day pause, can be revealing. Many notice improvements in sleep, mood, weight, or lab markers that may help them reduce their alcohol intake in subsequent months,” noted Routhenstein.

The new guidance still lists certain people who are encouraged to avoid alcohol altogether, including:

• people who are pregnant
• people who are recovering from alcohol use disorder
• people who find it difficult to control the amount they drink
• people who are taking medications that may interact with alcohol
• people who have a medical condition that may react negatively to alcohol

The guidelines also encourage people with a family history of alcohol use disorder to be mindful of alcohol consumption and the associated behaviors.

“While ‘consume less’ is backed by evidence, pairing it with practical examples and a reminder that no amount of alcohol is completely risk-free can help people make better choices without feeling confused or overwhelmed,” stated Routhenstein.

“Numeric thresholds still have value in clinical and counseling settings, helping people understand their own risk and track progress,” she added.