15.09.2023 - The National Board of Health and Welfare has recently released its updated guidelines on alcohol consumption, primarily directed towards the healthcare sector. One of the primary insights from the announcement is the assertion that there isn't a specific boundary marking when alcohol consumption becomes entirely risk-free.
Key Updates from the National Board of Health and Welfare:
The guidelines highlight that determining a consumption level where alcohol is completely without risk is not feasible.
These recommendations aim to guide healthcare professionals in recognising when to offer additional support based on drinking patterns.
Despite these new guidelines, the board continues to employ the term "risky consumption."
This development hasn't gone unnoticed by the IOGT-NTO, a member organisation of NordAN. While they recognise and commend the efforts of the National Board of Health and Welfare in revising the guidelines, they express concerns regarding the terminology used.
Lucas Nilsson, president of IOGT-NTO, expressed his perspective on the matter, stating, "The term 'risky consumption' insinuates that there's a risk-free level of alcohol consumption. This isn't the case." He referenced the World Health Organization's data, noting that "half of all alcohol-related cancers are attributed to low alcohol consumption."
Nilsson emphasised the significance of the language used, especially by influential institutions, and pointed out that "words are powerful and have significant meaning," urging for careful consideration of the terms used in public communication regarding health.
With these new guidelines, healthcare professionals have an updated framework for understanding and addressing alcohol consumption patterns. Still, as IOGT-NTO's response suggests, the discourse on alcohol's impact on health, and the language used to discuss it, remains a point of contention.