Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics...

Familiar piece of a Mark Twain quote - but oh so true! I doubt that there's any need to say much more about this to anyone who's ever looked at a published research trial or tried to make sense of budgetary numbers or political propaganda. There's basically nothing that one can't do with numbers to prove that the sky is really purple, or that geese really fly north for the winter. Same is true with health information and research reports. It's not enough that alcohol use is hard to control, but now there's two new studies that look at the effect of ethanol on our bodies (http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/good-news-and-bad-news-on-alcohol/2011/11/01/gIQAaz6odM_story.html). How do we make sense of conflicting issues when it comes to our health choices? Clearly, too much ethyl alcohol is a poison that kills heart cells, liver cells, brain cells; causes changes to most organs in the body; makes us do stupid things; causes death and destruction of families, homes, cars and lives. No one is quite sure, however, how much is too much. I was appalled by the "science" that showed a "moderate" amount of ethanol can actually be beneficial for one's heart. A glass of wine (or maybe two if you're male) each day seems to be cardioprotective. The problem is that daily alcohol use tends to start with one and continue to grow until it's out of control. Binge drinking is rampant, and not just among the younger crowd. How many people do you know who routinely drink 3 or more alcohol containing drinks at one occasion? It's such an issue in the Washington, DC, area that we stopped asking people if they drink alcohol, and how much. I've watched countless people in the ICU have withdrawal reactions even though the family swears that they don't drink. ("It's only one glass a night - but it never gets empty!") The acoholic beverage industry is a powerful lobby. The promotion of the health benefits receives a lot of T.V. time, while the damage done by alcohol (and the exorbitant costs generated) receive little or no play time. It is quite likely that you know someone right now who struggles with appropriate alcohol use. I encourage you to click on the CDC Widget to the right of this column to get more information so that you can begin to address the place that alcohol has assumed in that person's life. This week, take a measured approach to statistics and medical research reports. Make sure that your looking at both sides of the issue - not just the one that is receiving all the press. The truth is often sandwiched somewhere in between the "good" and the "bad". The old adage, "if it sounds to good to be true - it is!" rings true again. Peace for the journey, Dan