Investigating low-risk alcohol intake as a preventive factor for chronic disease risk in Canadian adults

Alcohol is a leading modifiable risk factor for chronic diseases. Evidence indicates regular low levels of alcohol may also have detrimental impacts on health. In response, Canada has released updated Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines (LRDG), however, health benefits of adhering to the updated LRDG are unknown. A prospective cohort study will be conducted using data on more than 25,000 adults over 45 years of age from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) to test the impact of low-, moderate-, and high-risk alcohol intake, defined by the updated LRDG, on years free from major chronic diseases over a 10-year period. Our study will provide evidence of the impact of the updated LRDG on years free from chronic disease, and potential differential effects on subgroups within the Canadian population. This is necessary given the detrimental effects of alcohol on the health of Canadians and can inform public health messaging and policies.