Glass too full? Why safe drinking guidelines vary between countries

Belgium suggests 21 drinks a week is safe for men, while Australia recommends no more than 10 for anyone. What goes into the decision making?

Craft beer in Melbourne, pinot noir in Paris, mojitos in Havana -alcohol is part of nearly every culture around the world. As the evidence of harm has accumulated, the message from health authorities globally is that we need to drink less and even abstain entirely. But the advice on exactly how much less isn't consistent. Why?

As an addiction medicine specialist and public health physician at the University of Sydney, Prof Kate Conigrave is more aware than most about the damage caused by alcohol. She chaired the group who authored Australia's latest guidelines on reducing the health risks of alcohol, which in 2020 recommended healthy adults drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week, and no more than four in a day. It's a reduction from the 2009 guidelines which recommended no more than two drinks a day for men and women.