[mannykannot]

I'm not French and I am not close to anyone who is, so there is nothing in here of any possible relevance to me?

While there are a lot of posters here eager to point out the limits to what this study formally investigates, the inclusion of the French dimension underscores my suspicion that finding a reason to regard this study as irrelevant to one's specific circumstances is not the best way of looking at it.

[EnFinlay]

I didn't write the parent comment, but I don't think what they're trying to do is

> finding a reason to regard this study as irrelevant to one's specific circumstances

It's more about being precise about what exactly the study found. There's a real problem with legitimate studies being reported as something sensational, and then when the headline is proven to be false the public loses respect for the scientific process.

[lev99]

> There's a real problem with legitimate studies being reported as something sensational, and then when the headline is proven to be false the public loses respect for the scientific process.

I'm the author of the root comment. This phenomenon is one of my greatest disappointments in the modern internet. More than drm, surveillance, and commercialization. The internet is the best avenue for public education we've seen, but instead it's used to sell high sodium processed food and $15/month entertainment subscriptions. The education (on the internet) has to be watered down to be entertainment, because the entire platform is becoming entertainment.

[albertgoeswoof]

There might be uncontrolled factors specific to French drinkers. E.g. Government policies (taxes on types of alcohol, licensing laws), cultural difference (like drinking later in the evening, with food, or regularly vs binge drinking) etc. etc.

It's not that those things make this completely irrelevant to you, it's that the blanket statement "Alcohol use largest risk factor for dementia" is not proven by this study, due to the earlier commentor's points.