U.S. set to drop daily alcohol limits in new dietary guidelines

The upcoming U.S. Dietary Guidelines are expected to remove the longstanding recommendation that adults limit their alcohol intake to one or two drinks per day, according to three sources familiar with the matter—a shift that could mark a significant victory for the alcohol industry amid growing public health scrutiny.

The revised guidelines, potentially set for release as early as this month, are anticipated to replace specific daily limits with a more general statement urging Americans to drink in moderation or limit alcohol consumption due to health risks, sources said.

Although the recommendations are still under development and may change, two sources and a fourth individual involved in the process confirmed the direction being considered.

The current guidelines, in place since 1990, advise women to consume no more than one drink per day and men no more than two. These thresholds have been widely accepted as a definition of moderate drinking. However, recent international developments have challenged that standard. Canada, for example, now warns that even consuming more than two drinks per week increases health risks, while the U.K. recommends limiting intake to 14 units of alcohol per week.

Health experts remain divided. Some studies suggest moderate alcohol consumption may offer protective benefits, such as reduced stroke risk, but others point to elevated risks, including breast cancer and various forms of cancer even at low consumption levels.

One source close to the guideline development process said the shift reflects a lack of strong scientific evidence supporting specific daily limits and an effort to rely only on the most reliable data.

The guidelines, jointly issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), are updated every five years and influence everything from nutrition advice to school meal standards. Neither department responded to requests for comment.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who abstains from alcohol, has so far remained quiet on the subject, though he has highlighted a broader focus on whole, unprocessed foods in the forthcoming recommendations.

Industry stakeholders, including beverage giants Diageo and Anheuser-Busch InBev, have reportedly lobbied U.S. lawmakers extensively throughout the review process. Senate records show both companies spent millions on lobbying in 2024 and 2025. They declined to comment.

While some officials and health advocates have called for stricter guidelines in line with warnings from organizations like the World Health Organization, industry pressure appears to have helped steer the guidelines away from numeric limits. Sources say the new alcohol guidance may be reduced to just one or two sentences, with any specific figures possibly relegated to a technical appendix.

Eva Greenthal, senior policy scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, criticized the anticipated changes, saying the more ambiguous language would obscure key health risks—particularly for diseases like breast cancer.

“The language is so vague as to be unhelpful,” she said.

Two key studies informed the guideline revisions. One concluded that moderate drinking may raise the risk of certain cancers but lower the risk of death from any cause and some cardiovascular conditions. The second found that the risk of alcohol-related death and disease increases with any level of consumption.