Responsible drinking

You may be drinking more than you should without even knowing it

INTRO: With wine glasses getting bigger, the alcohol content becoming stronger and prices coming down, it’s no wonder that 10 million adults in England exceed Government guidelines on alcohol every year.

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
Alcohol misuse increases our risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and high blood pressure. If that isn’t enough to put you off your next tipple, it’s also associated with 22,000 premature deaths every year.

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?
It’s recommended that men shouldn’t regularly drink more than three to four units of alcohol per day (that’s about one pint) and women no more than two to three units a day (less than a large glass of wine).

WHAT’S A UNIT?
It’s not simply one glass of wine equals one unit. The reality is far more complicated
The easy way to calculate the units you’re drinking is to check the ABV (percentage of alcohol by volume) on bottles and cans. The strength can vary – wine can be anything from 10-16% ABV. You can work out how many units your drink contains by multiplying the drink size (e.g. 250ml) by the ABV (e.g. 13%), then dividing by 1,000 (= 3.25 units). Or use the handy units calculator at www.units.nhs.uk.

THE HEALTH RISKS
The more you drink, the greater the health risks, which include:
Liver disease
Cancer
Strokes and cardiovascular/heart problems
Pancreatitis
Gastritis
High blood pressure
Fertility problems
Temporary impotence
Mental health problems

Liver disease is up to 13 times higher in people who drink above guideline levels. The British Liver Trust www.britishlivertrust.org.uk is particularly concerned that people are unaware of just how much they’re drinking. ‘By keeping an eye on how many units of alcohol you’re drinking, you can keep on the right side of the guidelines and reduce your risk of serious diseases,’ says Imogen Shillito, Director of Information and Education at the British Liver Trust. ‘Liver disease develops over time without symptoms showing until it’s too late

DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM?
If you find yourself getting drunk regularly or have difficulty stopping drinking once you’ve started, you could have a problem – especially if its affecting other areas of your life. If you’re unsure, visit www.units.nhs.uk/drinkcheck/index.php where there’s a useful questionnaire, or keep a drinks diary www.drinkaware.co.uk/drinks-diary to get a clearer idea of how much alcohol you’re really consuming.

If you think you may have a problem visit your local alcohol help centre (listed in the telephone directory), call 0800 876 67 76 (textphone 0800 027 4114) or visit your GP.

BUSTING THE MYTHS

MYTH 1: Only the young binge drink
The definition of binge drinking is understood to mean having enough alcohol to become drunk during one session. Going halves on a bottle of Aussie Shiraz every evening may not have you fighting in the streets, but you’ll be far exceeding the recommended limits and may increase your risk of depression, high blood pressure, stroke and liver disease.

MYTH 2: Red wine is good for your health
Drinking around one unit (which is equivalent to half a standard glass or 90ml) each day may reduce the risk of heart disease in older men or middle-aged, post-menopausal women. But a healthy balanced diet with lots of fresh fruit, vegetables and oily fish, along with plenty of exercise, is more likely to help and has lots
of other health benefits, too.

MYTH 3: A few drinks will cheer you up
Although a common solution to dealing with problems, drowning your sorrows is not a good idea. Small amounts of alcohol – the first drink or two – can reduce tension and lower your inhibitions, but alcohol can also exaggerate the emotions you have, so if you’re feeling sad or angry it can make you feel much worse. Alcohol uses up the brain’s stores of the natural chemicals that reduce anxiety and lift mood – so the more you drink, the worse you could end up feeling. 

HOW TO DRINK LESS

* Check labels for ABV (percentage alcohol by volume) and choose lower-alcohol drinks.
* Alternate alcoholic drinks with a glass of water.
* Choose a small rather than large glass of wine.
* Don’t top up your glass before it’s empty.
* Eat a meal before you drink. Feeling full will reduce your intake, and the food will help absorb the alcohol.
* You’ll drink more slowly if you put your glass down in between sips.
* Avoid salty snacks such as crisps and nuts as these will make you drink more.
* Dilute white wine with sparkling or soda water to make a spritzer.

What Asda is doing to help

* Rather than calling for more legislation or raising prices, which would punish customers who drink sensibly, Asda aims to prevent young people from misusing alcohol by making it impossible for under 18s to buy it in stores. The Challenge 25 policy is operating in all Asda stores, and customers who look under 25 are asked for photo ID.

* Nearly half of all violent crimes take place at the weekend – most between midnight and 6am. To try and help combat this, Asda no longer sells alcohol after midnight in town-centre stores, hoping to put a stop to alcohol sales to people on their way home from bars and clubs.