NHMRC Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol (2020)

The most recent version of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol (NHMRC 2020) has taken a population health approach. Their aim was to make the information simpler and easier to remember. In general, the Guidelines state that the risk of harm from drinking alcohol increases with the amount consumed. A ‘standard drink’ refers to the Australian measure, which contains 10g of ethanol.

Guideline 1 advises on reducing the risk of alcohol-related harm for adults; Guideline 2 is for Children and people under 18 years of age, and Guideline 3 is for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol

Guideline 1: Reducing the risk of alcohol-related harm for adults

To reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury, healthy men and women should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day.
The less you drink, the lower your risk of harm from alcohol.

Guideline 2: Children and people under 18 years of age

To reduce the risk of injury and other harms to health, children and people under 18 years of age should not drink alcohol.

Guideline 3: Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding

To prevent harm from alcohol to their unborn child, women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy should not drink alcohol.
For women who are breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is safest for their baby.

For more information on the Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol, visit: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/alcohol