ABSTRACT
Public beliefs about the health effects of alcoholic beverages differ from country to country. In the Mediterranean moderate drinking is considered good for health or at least nondamaging, while in the United States, the prevailing approaches are to focus on problem drinking and limit alcohol consumption. This chapter discusses the health effects in humans of both moderate and excessive alcohol consumption. Mortality risk, or more in general disease risk, may increase at higher levels of alcohol consumption due to consistent underreporting of alcohol intake. The effects of alcohol on the cardiovascular system are studied in relation to three main syndromes: hypertension, stroke, and coronary heart disease. The nutritional value of alcoholic beverages is limited; they contribute mainly to the caloric intake of the diet. Alcohol contains calories, and as a consequence alcohol consumption has been suggested to lead to overweight. Alcoholic beverages are produced by fermentation of agricultural products such as grapes, potatoes, or cereals.
