A new study from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health suggests that alcohol warning labels may not be effectively reaching many adults in the United States.
Researchers surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. adults who consume alcohol and examined how often people notice or read the federal warning labels printed on alcohol containers. The results indicate that while about half of respondents reported noticing the label the last time they looked at an alcohol container, far fewer said they had actually read it recently.
According to the study, only about one in four respondents reported reading the warning label within the past month. In addition, very few participants were able to correctly recall all of the health warnings included on the label.
The current U.S. alcohol warning label was introduced in 1989 under the Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Act. It warns about risks such as drinking during pregnancy and the dangers of driving or operating machinery after consuming alcohol.
Researchers say the label’s relatively small size and placement on alcohol containers may contribute to low visibility. The findings suggest that the current warning label may have a limited impact on how well alcohol-related health risks are communicated to consumers.
