How good is the science?
Open accessAbstract
Ronksley and colleagues asserted that the association between moderate alcohol consumption and reduced mortality risk was “beyond question.”1 We reviewed all 67 studies that generated the 84 articles in their meta-analysis. All but two had at least one of six serious methodological problems, and these two had mixed findings (figure⇓); see http://carbc.ca/Portals/0/News/FeatureSupplement201203.pdf for bibliography).
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Beneficial effects of non-heavy drinking on ischaemic diseases have been put into question for different reasons.
“While these beneficial effects have been put into question for different reasons (e.g. 174, 258, 259), and while they may be overestimated using standard epidemiological methodology because of biased comparison groups 260, biological pathways corroborate some protective effect.”
From The relationship between different dimensions of alcohol use and the burden of disease—an update (2017) · cites this paper as [258]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Ronksley, P. E., Brien, S. E., Turner, B. J., Mukamal, K. J., & Ghali, W. A. (2011) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.d671 · Cited by 1,610 · see citing works
Alcohol as a risk factor for liver cirrhosis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
REHM, J., TAYLOR, B., MOHAPATRA, S., IRVING, H., BALIUNAS, D., PATRA, J., & ROERECKE, M. (2010) · Drug and Alcohol Review · doi:10.1111/j.1465-3362.2009.00153.x · Cited by 668 · see citing works
Cardiovascular risk factors and confounders among nondrinking and moderate-drinking U.S. adults
Naimi, T. S., Brown, D. W., Brewer, R. D., Giles, W. H., Mensah, G. A., Serdula, M. K., Mokdad, A. H., Hungerford, D. W., Lando, J. F., Naimi, S., et al. (2005) · American Journal of Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2005.01.011 · Cited by 319 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- Fillmore K, Stockwell T, Chikritzhs T, Bostrom A. Moderate alcohol use and reduced mortality risk: systematic error in prospective studies and new hypotheses. Ann Epidemiol 2006;95:135-46.
- Shaper AG, Wannamethee SF. J-shaped curve and changes in drinking habit. In: Chadwick, DJ, Goode JA, eds. Alcohol and cardiovascular diseases: Novartis foundation symposium 216. John Wiley and Sons, 1998:173-92.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Forouzanfar, M. H., Afshin, A., Alexander, L. T., Anderson, H. R., Bhutta, Z. A., Biryukov, S., Brauer, M., Burnett, R., Cercy, K., Charlson, F. J., et al. (2016) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(16)31679-8 · Cited by 7,698 · see citing works
The relationship between different dimensions of alcohol use and the burden of disease—an update
Rehm, J., Gmel, G. E., Gmel, G., Hasan, O. S. M., Imtiaz, S., Popova, S., Probst, C., Roerecke, M., Room, R., Samokhvalov, A. V., et al. (2017) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.13757 · Cited by 1,204 · see citing works
Stockwell, T. R., Zhao, J., Panwar, S., Roemer, A., Naimi, T. S., & Chikritzhs, T. N. (2016) · Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs · doi:10.15288/jsad.2016.77.185 · Cited by 658 · see citing works
Self-citationBell, S., Daskalopoulou, M., Rapsomaniki, E., George, J., Britton, A. R., Bobák, M., Casas, J. P., Dale, C. E., Denaxas, S., Shah, A. D., et al. (2017) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.j909 · Cited by 334 · see citing works
Alcohol-Attributable Cancer Deaths and Years of Potential Life Lost in the United States
Nelson, D. E., Jarman, D. W., Rehm, J. T., Greenfield, T. K., Rey, G., Kerr, W. C., Miller, P. E., Shield, K. D., Ye, Y., & Naimi, T. S. (2013) · American Journal of Public Health · doi:10.2105/ajph.2012.301199 · Cited by 249 · see citing works
Alcohol Use and Breast Cancer: A Critical Review
Shield, K. D., Soerjomataram, I., & Rehm, J. (2016) · Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research · doi:10.1111/acer.13071 · Cited by 204 · see citing works
Alcohol use disorders and the heart
Day, E., & Rudd, J. H. F. (2019) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.14703 · Cited by 183 · see citing works
Is alcohol consumption a risk factor for prostate cancer? A systematic review and meta–analysis
Zhao, J., Stockwell, T. R., Roemer, A., & Chikritzhs, T. N. (2016) · BMC Cancer · doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2891-z · Cited by 160 · see citing works
Self-citationDaskalopoulou, C., Stubbs, B., Kralj, C., Koukounari, A., Prince, M. J., & Prina, M. A. (2018) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-019540 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Missed nursing care, staffing levels, job satisfaction, and intent to leave among Jordanian nurses
Al‐Faouri, I., Obaidat, D. M., & ABUALRUB, R. F. (2020) · Nursing Forum · doi:10.1111/nuf.12537 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Alcohol: taking a population perspective
Gilmore, W., Chikritzhs, T. N., Stockwell, T. R., Jernigan, D. H., Naimi, T. S., & Gilmore, I. T. (2016) · Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology · doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2016.70 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Self-citationNaimi, T. S., Xuan, Z., Brown, D. W., & Saitz, R. (2012) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.04074.x · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Sidorchuk, A., Hemmingsson, T., Romelsjö, A., & Allebeck, P. (2012) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0042083 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Light Alcohol Consumption Does Not Protect Cognitive Function: A Longitudinal Prospective Study
Hassing, L. B. (2018) · Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnagi.2018.00081 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Daskalopoulou, C., Koukounari, A., Ayuso‐Mateos, J. L., Prince, M. J., & Prina, M. A. (2018) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu10111593 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
J‐curve revisited: cardiovascular benefits of moderate alcohol use cannot be dismissed
Thompson, P. L. (2013) · The Medical Journal of Australia · doi:10.5694/mja12.10922 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Cena, L., Rota, M., Calza, S., Massardi, B., Trainini, A., & Stefana, A. (2021) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.701638 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Zeisser, C., Stockwell, T. R., & Chikritzhs, T. (2014) · Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research · doi:10.1111/acer.12479 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Self-citationPosition of indapamide, a diuretic with vasorelaxant activities, in antihypertensive therapy
Waeber, B., Rotaru, C., & Feihl, F. (2012) · Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy · doi:10.1517/14656566.2012.698611 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Bell, S., Britton, A. R., Kubínová, R., Malyutina, S. K., Pająk, A., IuP, N., & Bobák, M. (2014) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0104384 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
The Association Between Health Changes and Cessation of Alcohol Consumption
Park, J., Ryu, Y., & Cho, S. (2016) · Alcohol and Alcoholism · doi:10.1093/alcalc/agw089 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Bell, S., & Britton, A. R. (2015) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.13012 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Moral resilience through harmonised connectedness in intensive care nursing: A grounded theory study
Defilippis, T. M. L. S., Curtis, K., & Gallagher, A. M. (2019) · Intensive and Critical Care Nursing · doi:10.1016/j.iccn.2019.102785 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Britton, A. R., Hardy, R., Kuh, D. J., Deanfield, J. E., Charakida, M., & Bell, S. (2016) · BMC Medicine · doi:10.1186/s12916-016-0656-9 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Commentary: Another serious challenge to the hypothesis that moderate drinking is good for health?
Stockwell, T. R., & Chikritzhs, T. N. (2013) · International Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/ije/dyt217 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Self-citationBell, S., & Britton, A. R. (2015) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.08.008 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Bell, S., Orford, J., & Britton, A. R. (2015) · Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research · doi:10.1111/acer.12681 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Gomez, K. U., McBride, O., Roberts, E., Angus, C., Keyes, K. M., Drummond, C., Buchan, I. E., Fleming, K. M., Gilmore, I. T., Donoghue, K., et al. (2023) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/s12888-023-04577-3 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Park, J., Ryu, Y., & Cho, S. (2017) · Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research · doi:10.1111/acer.13299 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Bouajila, N., Domenighetti, C., Aubin, H., & Naassïla, M. (2024) · Frontiers in Epidemiology · doi:10.3389/fepid.2024.1385064 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Glans, I., Nägga, K., Gustavsson, A., Stomrud, E., Nilsson, P. M., Melander, O., Hansson, O., & Palmqvist, S. (2024) · Alzheimer s Research & Therapy · doi:10.1186/s13195-024-01497-6 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Staudt, A., Freyer‐Adam, J., Meyer, C., John, U., & Baumann, S. (2018) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.06.031 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Assessing methodological quality
Greenhalgh, T., & Dijkstra, P. (2024) · doi:10.1002/9781394206933.ch4 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Does moderate alcohol consumption really have health benefits?
Wilson, M., & Braillon, A. (2018) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.k3888 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Alcohol Consumption and Common Carotid Intima-Media Thickness: The USE-IMT Study
Britton, A. R., Grobbee, D. E., den Ruijter, H. M., Anderson, T. J., Desvarieux, M., Engström, G., Evans, G., Hedblad, B., Kauhanen, J., Kurl, S., et al. (2017) · Alcohol and Alcoholism · doi:10.1093/alcalc/agx028 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Kydd, R. M., & CONNOR, J. L. (2015) · Alcohol and Alcoholism · doi:10.1093/alcalc/agu106 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
The association between carbohydrate quality index and nutrient adequacy in Iranian adults
Farazi, M., Jayedi, A., Noruzi, Z., Firouzabadi, F. D., Asgari, E., Djafarian, K., & Shab‐Bidar, S. (2021) · Nutrition & Food Science · doi:10.1108/nfs-12-2020-0478 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Krueger, H., Goldenberg, S. L., Koot, J., & Andres, E. (2016) · American Journal of Men s Health · doi:10.1177/1557988316671567 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Alcohol affects the outcome after head trauma
Vaaramo, K. (2013) · Cited by 7 · see citing works
A Reply to R oerecke & R ehm: Continuing Questions about Alcohol and Health Benefits
Stockwell, T. R. (2013) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.04076.x · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Self-citationComplex relationship between health and moderate alcohol use
Burton, R., & Sheron, N. (2022) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(22)01288-0 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Stockwell, T. R. (2012) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03866.x · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Self-citationNo Benefit to Die from Cancer With Healthy Coronary Arteries, Except in France
Braillon, A. (2015) · The American Journal of Cardiology · doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2015.09.002 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Alcohol and Cardiovascular Risk
Arunogiri, S., & Lubman, D. I. (2015) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-981-4560-53-5_8-1 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Fishy curves: a case of bias and confounding?
Chikritzhs, T. N., & Liang, W. (2013) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.12145 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Self-citationBraillon, A., & Dubois, G. (2014) · La Presse Médicale · doi:10.1016/j.lpm.2014.09.011 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Iyalomhe, G. B. S., & Si, I. (2015) · International Journal of Health Sciences and Research · Cited by 1 · see citing works
How do we formulate low‐risk drinking guidelines if zero consumption is lowest risk?
Stockwell, T. R. (2013) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.12128 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Self-citationTchamba, G. (2015) · ScholarWorks - WMU (Western Michigan University)
Authors' reply to Stockwell and colleagues
Ronksley, P. E., Brien, S., Turner, B. J., Mukamal, K. J., & Ghali, W. A. (2012) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.e2294
Alcohol and Cardiovascular Risk
Arunogiri, S., & Lubman, D. I. (2016) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-981-287-206-7_8
- Authors
- Stockwell, T., Greer, A., Fillmore, K., Chikritzhs, T., & Zeisser, C.
- Affiliations
- University of Victoria (CA)
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Institute for Scientific Analysis (US)
- Curtin University (AU)
- Venue
- BMJ
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2012-03-27
- Volume
- 344
- Issue
- mar27 2
- Pages
- e2276-e2276
- ISSN
- 0007-1447 (ISSN-L)
- 0959-8138
- 1468-5833
- OpenAlex
- W2019716439
- Cited by
- 53
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 5
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- BMJ (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- eSpace (Curtin University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- eSpace (Curtin University) (submittedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty › Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
- Keywords
- moderate drinking, mortality risk, meta-analysis critique, methodological errors, health effects of alcohol
- MeSH terms
- Alcohol Drinking, Cardiovascular Diseases, Humans
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review