Although the French drink less than before, they are still among the biggest consumers of alcohol in the world. Last July, the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that a European gulped on average 9.2 liters of pure alcohol per year. A figure higher than on other continents. The Americans come in second place, with an average consumption of 7.5 liters per capita.
In a culture where wine is closely linked to heritage, it is not always easy to refuse a glass. Let alone do it for an entire month. However, nearly one in four French people say they want to embark on Dry January in 2025, which represents 17 million people, according to an Ifop-Freixenet Gratien survey. This is much more than in 2020, when only 6.8 million wanted to try the experience. For addictologist Stéphanie Landel, this is “proof that a change in mentality has already taken place”. And this, even if certain preconceived ideas die hard.
Consuming alcohol in moderation can benefit your health
Previous scientific research suggested that daily alcohol consumption protected against cardiovascular disease. It is the famous French Paradoxpopularized in the 1980s, used to describe the particularly low rate of coronary heart disease observed among the French compared to other populations, despite a diet rich in animal fats. These studies have since been undermined. “The supposedly protective effects of moderate alcohol consumption (…) are only the reflection of methodological problems in the studies which have suggested their existence,” notes Inserm.
Wine is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in France
Wine is the French’s favorite alcoholic drink, ahead of beer and champagne, according to a survey by the Dynata institute for the SoWine agency. This declarative survey carried out every year since 2010 makes it possible to monitor changes in behavior over a long period of time. Wine owes its first position to women and younger generations, who favor white more. However, non-alcoholic drinks are tending to gain an increasingly important place in this competitive market.
Studies have shown benefits of drinking red wine
Emphasizing its richness in polyphenols and resveratrol, an antioxidant compound found in the skin of grapes, studies dating back more than 10 years claimed that a daily glass of red wine could be beneficial for the heart as part of a Mediterranean diet, reduce type 2 diabetes or even protect against certain cancers.
Here again, the data did not take into account the level of education, likely to be higher among wine lovers, the level of physical activity or even the level of wealth. New research taking these variables into account now shows that red wine worsens cardiovascular risk and promotes the occurrence of high blood pressure and stroke.
Below a certain threshold, alcohol consumption is safe
There are consumption guidelines recommending not to drink more than 10 glasses of alcohol per week, with a break of at least two days, while not exceeding two glasses per day. “Being below does not mean that there is zero risk,” emphasizes Stéphanie Landel. “From the moment alcohol is taken, there is a health risk,” insists the addictologist. More than one in five French adults exceed this “lowest risk” threshold, despite a decreasing proportion, thus increasing their risk of developing an alcohol-related problem or dependence.
Alcohol is not carcinogenic
After tobacco, alcohol consumption represents the second cause of preventable mortality in France. Some 28,000 new cancers are attributable to it in 2015, including those of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, liver, breast or colon. The same year, it was responsible for 7% of deaths among French people over 15 years old (41,080 cases).
Any regular consumption of alcohol, even low (one glass), is “at risk”, notes Inserm. This risk increases proportionally to the quantity of alcohol consumed and can be multiplied if it is associated with tobacco consumption.
Alternating a glass of alcohol with a glass of water is useless.
Alternating a glass of water and a glass of alcohol has no impact on the quantity of alcohol assimilated but can limit the inconveniences the next day, including hangover symptoms, by preventing dehydration. In addition, “it can slow down the rate of consumption during an evening”, underlines the addictologist who recalls that ethanol is “toxic” and “psychoactive”. Eating before drinking also helps slow down the absorption of alcohol and reduce blood alcohol peaks and risky behaviors.
Stopping drinking for a month has no positive effect
The benefits of stopping alcohol, even temporarily, can quickly become apparent. They range from better quality of sleep to smoother skin, including weight loss if the alcoholic drink is not replaced by a sugary one. Stopping also contributes to better mental health and a significant increase in energy. Not to mention the money saved and the personal pride that stopping can provide. “The advantage of Dry January is that we don’t need to justify the reasons for stopping it,” concludes Stéphanie Landel, who encourages us to try the experiment.
