Using Project MATCH data from alcohol treatment outpatients, Maisto et al. (2007) compared 3-year outcomes of those abstinent at 1 year versus two drinking levels – “moderate drinking” (i.e., fewer than 6 heavy drinking days in past year) or “heavy drinking” (6 or more heavy drinking days – five or more drinks per day for men, four or more for women). Alcohol-related problems were not considered. One-year abstainers had the most abstinent days and the fewest average drinks per drinking day, followed by moderate drinkers.
