Brits drink 40% more than they think
British consumers could be drinking up to 40% more alcohol than they believe, according to figures published today.
British consumers are drinking much more than they think they areA study by the Department of Health shows that the British public are underestimating the amount and frequency they drink.
The DoH’s Change4Life campaign conducted a study of 19 consumers who kept a detailed drinks diary for two weeks.
Those that took part drank an average of the equivalent of an extra large glass of wine each day – or 40% more than they thought.
Chief medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said: “I understand that people enjoy having a glass of wine or beer to unwind at the end of a busy day – but these drinks stack up and can increase your risk of high blood pressure, cancer or liver disease.
“The alcohol guidelines recommend that men should not regularly drink more than three to four units a day and women should not regularly drink more than two to three units a day.”
Change4Life has launched an online drinks checker for consumers to keep tabs on how much they are drinking each day.
The findings come as a separate study conducted in Canada found that increasing the price of alcohol by 10% could cut alcohol-related deaths by 32%.
