In a potential shift that could redefine national health messaging, the U.S. government is expected to remove the long-standing recommendation that adults limit their alcohol consumption to one or two drinks per day.
According to three sources familiar with the matter, the upcoming Dietary Guidelines for Americans, anticipated as early as this month, will instead include only a brief, general statement about moderating alcohol intake.
A Major Turn in U.S. Health Policy
Since 1990, the guidelines have advised Americans to drink "in moderation," quantified as no more than one drink per day for women and two for men. This threshold has been used not just by individuals but by institutions ranging from schools and healthcare providers to insurance companies and workplace wellness programs.
But the upcoming 2025–2030 edition of the guidelines — developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) — will reportedly eliminate these numerical limits from its core language. Instead, it is expected to include a vague recommendation to “drink in moderation” or “limit intake,” without specifying daily or weekly units.
This shift is occurring amid increasing debate over what constitutes “safe” drinking — and who should define it.
Scientific Uncertainty and Conflicting Messages
According to a fourth source involved in the process, the change is based on a lack of strong scientific evidence supporting the precise one- or two-drink-per-day rule. While research has linked moderate alcohol consumption with both potential health benefits — such as lower cardiovascular risk — and clear health risks, including increased cancer risk (especially breast cancer), the net effect remains controversial.
Two recent studies commissioned to inform the guidelines produced divergent findings:
- One concluded that moderate alcohol use might reduce risk of stroke and overall mortality, while increasing the likelihood of certain cancers.
- The other emphasized that any alcohol consumption carries measurable risks and increases with higher intake, including at least seven cancer types.
These contradictions have led policymakers to consider more flexible, non-prescriptive language, rather than prescribing specific daily thresholds.
Lobbying Pressure and Industry Relief
While public health advocates have urged tighter alcohol restrictions and clearer warning labels, the alcohol industry has fought hard to preserve more permissive guidelines.
Major producers like Diageo and Anheuser-Busch InBev reportedly spent millions of USD lobbying lawmakers on alcohol-related issues during 2024 and 2025. Senate records confirm their involvement in discussions surrounding the guideline revisions.
Their efforts may have paid off. The day news of the guideline change leaked, shares in both companies hit intraday highs, reflecting investor optimism.
A spokesperson for Science Over Bias, a group representing beer, wine, and spirits companies, emphasized the need for guidelines to reflect “sound scientific evidence free from bias.” The group stated that the existing guidance has long helped consumers make responsible choices.
Public Health Concerns
But not everyone is applauding. Critics warn that removing numerical limits will make public messaging around alcohol more confusing — and less impactful.
Eva Greenthal, a senior policy scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, called the vague phrasing “so vague as to be unhelpful.” She noted that it may dilute warnings about risks such as breast cancer and mislead consumers into underestimating the potential harm of even small amounts of alcohol.
There is also concern about international implications. The U.S. guidelines are often referenced globally, influencing not only dietary policy but marketing strategies, health education, and medical advice in other countries.
A Change of Tone, Not a Change of Course?
It remains unclear how prominent the alcohol section will be in the final release. Some sources say the previous guidance on daily limits may still appear in a technical appendix, but no longer form part of the main recommendations.
One source suggested the new guidance may be limited to a single sentence or two — a stunning contraction for an issue as contested and high-profile as alcohol use in public health.
Even Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is known to abstain from alcohol, has stayed quiet on the issue. His focus in the broader guidelines has reportedly been on whole foods and dietary quality, rather than alcohol use specifically.
Conclusion
If confirmed, the elimination of daily drink limits from the U.S. Dietary Guidelines would signal a major pivot in federal public health messaging. Whether this new approach will empower consumers with flexibility — or leave them with dangerously vague guidance — remains to be seen.
For now, the only clear winners are the producers and investors of alcohol, who have long pushed for more lenient and less specific national standards.
Source: Reuters