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Review
. 1998 May-Jun;33(3):195-201.
doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.alcalc.a008382.

Fetal alcohol syndrome: the 'American Paradox'

E L Abel  1
Affiliations
Review

Fetal alcohol syndrome: the 'American Paradox'

E L Abel. Alcohol Alcohol. 1998 May-Jun.

Abstract

Nearly all cases of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) identified in prospective epidemiological studies have been conducted in the United States of America. The very high incidence rate for FAS in the USA and the relatively low rate in other countries does not correspond to measures of alcohol consumption. By analogy with the 'French paradox', we have termed the high rate of FAS in the USA coupled with its relatively low level of alcohol consumption, the 'American paradox'.

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