Major new study reveals that no amount of alcohol is safe

Can a glass of wine a day actually keep the doctor away? Photo / Getty Images

Here's a fun fact likely to leave a dark cloud hanging over your Sunday: no amount of alcohol — liquor, wine or beer — is good for your overall health.

That's according to a new analysis of 2016 global alcohol consumption and disease risk, published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet. It is the largest and most detailed research carried out on the effects of booze.

Probably NOT what you wanted to read if you're currently reading this while nursing the mother of all hangovers following Friday after-work drinks and strongly considering the "hair of the dog" option, reports news.com.au.

Even the occasional drink is harmful to your health, according to the study, which suggests governments should think of advising people to abstain completely.

The message comes from the authors of the Global Burden of Diseases study, a rolling project based at the University of Washington, in Seattle.

Alcohol reportedly led to 2.8 million deaths in 2016 and was the leading risk factor for premature mortality and disability in the 15 to 49 age group, accounting for 20 per cent of deaths.

Researchers used 694 studies to estimate worldwide drinking patterns and used 592 studies plus 28 million people to learn about alcohol's health risks between 1990 and 2016 in 195 countries.

Researchers found that the "burden" of alcohol consumption was worse than previously reported.

"Previous studies have found a protective effect of alcohol on some conditions, but we found that the combined health risks associated with alcohol increase with any amount of alcohol," lead author Max Griswold said.

Researchers found that the "burden" of alcohol consumption was worse than previously reported.

"Previous studies have found a protective effect of alcohol on some conditions, but we found that the combined health risks associated with alcohol increase with any amount of alcohol," lead author Max Griswold said.