Posts Tagged ‘alcoholic’
Most adults have no idea how many units are in a drink, survey shows
Drinkaware to send unit calculators to millions following research findings
Three out of five adults are unable to equate alcohol units to drinks, according to research by alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware.
A survey of 4,000 adults found that while 85 per cent have heard of the term ‘alcohol units’ only one in two know how many are in certain drinks.
The survey also revealed less than a third of adults know the recommended daily unit guidelines (three to four for men and two to three for women).
In response, Drinkaware has sent 2.3 million unit and calorie counters to UK homes.
Chris Sorek, chief executive of Drinkaware, said: “Changing the UK’s drinking culture won’t happen overnight but providing consumers with useful tools such as the unit calculator can help them understand what a unit is and how many are in the nation’s most popular drinks.”
As a further incentive for people to have a healthy start to the New Year each Drinkaware unit calculator recipient will have the chance to enter a prize draw to win a weekend for two at Champneys luxury spa.
The first 10,000 entries at www.drinkaware.co.uk will also receive a free unit measure cup.
A standard pint of lager (four per cent ABV) is equivalent to around two units.
Will drinking too much over Christmas damage my liver?
The facts on festive drinking and your health.
Christmas is a special time of year, what with parties, catching up with friends and family, bad TV and good food and drink. A few weeks of overdoing it during the party season, however, can be rough on your health and might leave you feeling physically and mentally exhausted.
But exactly how much harm does regularly drinking too much at Christmas do to your liver and what effect does it have on your health generally? And is the damage permanent?
Fatty liver
Chris Day, professor of liver medicine at Newcastle University, says drinking more than 8 units a day (four pints of 4% lager) if you’re a man and over 5 units a day (a couple of 175ml glasses of wine) if you’re a woman for two or three weeks is enough to cause ‘fatty liver’ in most people.“Our liver turns glucose into fat which it sends round the body to store for use when we need it,” explains Chris. “Alcohol stops this happening, so your liver cells just get stuffed full of fat. Your liver gets larger.” If this happens, you’ll feel a vague discomfort in your abdomen because your liver is swollen. You might also feel sick and lose your appetite.
Fortunately, your liver is likely to recover. “Fatty liver will go away again in someone who isn’t a heavy drinker because the liver will repair itself,” says Chris.
But continue to regularly drink above Drinkaware’s recommended daily guidelines of 2-3 units a day for women (equivalent to a 175ml glass of 13% wine) and 3-4 units a day for men (equivalent to a pint and a half of 4% beer) and it’s bad news for your liver. Fatty liver can develop into hepatitis, when the liver becomes inflamed. This can then lead to cirrhosis, which is scarring of the liver from continuous hepatitis.
How alcohol affects the liver
Liver specialist, Chris Day says there are two reasons why alcohol has this effect. Firstly, when our liver tries to break down alcohol the chemical reactions it creates can damage its cells. The liver becomes inflamed because it is trying so hard to repair itself. Secondly, alcohol damages our intestine which then lets toxins into the liver. Blood that the liver normally filters from the bowel also has toxins in it. The liver tries to protect itself against these toxins which damage it and make it inflamed.
The problem is, you won’t know all this is happening. “People can spend 20 years damaging their liver and feel fine until it gets serious,” says Chris. “But two or three heavy sessions a week for a year will increase the chance of liver damage.”
Other health effects of Christmas drinking
Any immediate effects that result from infrequent heavy drinking sessions are temporary and, like fatty liver, will go away. They include damage to your stomach lining which results in diarrhoea or sickness. “And you might feel shaky or anxious because of alcohol’s withdrawal effect on the brain,” says Jonathan Chick, consultant psychiatrist specialising in alcohol dependence. Your mood, skin, weight and sleep will also be negatively affected but you can usually address these with a return to a healthier lifestyle. Drink too much on a regular basis, however, and these short-term effects can become long-term health problems.
Some health consequences of heavy sessions however can be more severe. Binge drinking can have an effect on the heart, causing irregular rhythms. This results in shortness of breath, changes in blood pressure and an increase in the risk of a heart attack, and even sudden death. “Called ‘Holiday Heart Syndrome’, people might feel they are having a heart attack,” says Jonathan. People who have had 15 units (about seven and a half pints of 4% beer) and upwards in one session are vulnerable to Holiday Heart Syndrome, which can result in sudden death.
Longer-term heavy drinking sessions pose serious health problems. Your chances of getting liver and mouth cancer, chronic pancreatitis and diabetes increase. Your mental health can be affected too.
If you are planning to drink this Christmas…
Stick to the recommended guidelines and you’ll reduce the chances of these health consequences. Drinkaware advises men not to regularly drink more than the 3-4 units of alcohol a day (equivalent to a pint and a half of 4% beer) and women not to regularly drink more than 2-3 units of alcohol a day (equivalent to a 175ml glass of 13% wine).
Chris Day says his best advice is to try not to drink everyday over the Christmas period. “There’s no doubt that the liver does much better when you give it a break,” he says.
There are different reasons why people drink more at Christmas, of course. “It may be because it’s the time of year when you are mixing with heavy drinking company,” says Jonathan Chick. “Moderate this yourself by avoiding or limiting the amount of time you spend at certain events and or with particular company if you’re likely to drink over the recommended limits.”
And limit your drinking if you’re feeling hurt or upset because it will more than likely damage the relationships you should be celebrating at Christmas time.
If you have any concerns give City Beacon a ring on 020 7147 9984
High income households among biggest alcohol drinkers
Top earners are more likely to drink alcohol frequently than adults in poorer households, a survey says.
The Health Survey for England 2009 found that 29% of men and 17% of women in the highest-earning group consumed alcohol on five or more days a week.
This compared to just 17% of men and 11% of women in the lowest income households.
The survey interviewed nearly 5,000 adults and 4,000 children.
Its results are published each year and they monitor trends in the health of the population of England.
As part of the survey, commissioned by the NHS Information Centre, all adults were asked to recall how much alcohol they had consumed in the week prior to being surveyed.
The current recommended daily alcohol intake is 3 to 4 units for men and 2 to 3 units for women.
In responding to the survey, 86% of men and 72% of women in the highest income bracket (earning £36,500 or more gross per year), said they had drunk alcohol in the last week.
This compared to 54% of men and 47% of women in the lowest income households (earning less than £10,400 gross a year).
‘Parenting problems’
Overall, 72% of men and 56% of women said they had drunk alcohol the previous week.
But 22% of men and 12% of women said they had drunk alcohol frequently – on five or more days during that week.
And 43% of men and 31% of women had drunk more than the recommended maximum on at least one day that week.
The report says: “On average men consumed 8.3 units on the day they drank most in the last week, and women consumed 5.4 units.
“Average consumption decreased with age among both sexes.”
The report describes alcohol as, “a causal factor in more than 60 medical conditions, including mouth, throat, stomach, liver and breast cancers.
And it goes on to describe alcohol’s wider impact on society as, “including damage to unborn children, parenting problems, domestic violence, road accidents antisocial behaviour and crime.”
Tim Straughan, chief executive of The NHS Information Centre, said: “The figures show the extent to which people from all backgrounds drink alcohol both frequently and in quantities that could be harmful to their health.
“They show that a greater percentage in the richest households drink frequently than those in the poorest and that drinking more than twice the recommended levels on at least one day in the previous week is common irrespective of financial status.”
Don Shenker, chief executive of Alcohol Concern said that international research showed a direct link between alcohol consumption and price.
“People on higher incomes have always drunk more than lower income groups, as they can afford more alcohol,” he said.
“The latest figures from the NHS Information Centre reiterate the need for this government to tackle the affordability of alcohol in order to address the health and social harms caused by alcohol misuse.”
The Health Survey for England 2009 also covered a wide range of other health issues such as long term conditions, obesity, smoking and kidney disease.
Morning-after drink driving rises
FOUR in ten drivers are getting behind the wheel the morning after a night of excessive drinking, a survey showed today. Road safety charity Brake said the proportion had increased to 38 per cent from 28 per cent in a similar poll seven years ago.
The latest poll, conducted with insurer Direct Line, also showed 45 per cent of motorists reckoned they would need to reckoned they would need to consume two or more units of alcohol for their driving to be affected. However, one in seven believed it would take three or more units for the alcohol to have an effect.
Overall, more than one third of the 800 drivers and motorcyclists surveyed admitted driving after drinking alcohol at some stage during the last year – down from 51 per cent in 2003.
Brake campaigns director, Julie Townsend, said: “Drink-driving remains a menace on our roads, devastating people’s lives every day. A shocking proportion of drivers seem unaware of the dangers of driving the morning after a heavy night, or even small quantities of alcohol. “We’re appealing to everyone to stay safe over the festive season by planning ahead. Make sure you can get home safely, and stay off the booze if you’re driving home or early the next day.”
Andy Goldby, director of motor underwriting at Direct Line, said: “Many drivers seem to be oblivious of the risks of driving in the morning after drinking the night before. “The effect of alcohol on driving ability lasts much longer than a couple of hours after drinking. With this week being the busiest for festive parties, we are urging people not to drink and drive.”
Police said one in eight drivers caught during the summer drink/drug campaign in Scotland were “morning after” offenders – 26 of 216. Chief Superintendent Brian Anderson, spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland on drink driving issues, said: “Drivers should always consider the time taken for alcohol to leave their system and leave a suitable time before driving. Those who choose to drink or take drugs and drive pose a risk to themselves and others. When caught, they will lose their licence and get an automatic 12-month ban. There is also the possibility of a criminal record, imprisonment and a fine of up to £5,000.”
Philip Gomm, of the Royal Automobile Club Foundation, said: “Those who drive the morning after heavy drinking put themselves and others at significant risk not just because of the alcohol still in their bloodstream but also the effects of tiredness.
“Many motorists sensibly use a designated driver when they go out to the pub, but a worrying amount still seem unaware it is wise to take similar precautions the following day.”
Automobile Association president Edmund King said: “Many drivers unwittingly drink-drive the morning after a big night out.
Drivers need to be aware of the dangers of still being over the limit in the morning, and if in doubt, don’t take the car out.”
Neil Greig, of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: “Just because you waited until the next morning to drive after a drinking session is no excuse if you are caught over the limit.”
Binge drinking doubles heart risk
Binge drinkers have a risk of heart disease twice that of people who consume the same amount of alcohol but more steadily, researchers say.
The study compared 10,000 male drinkers from “booze-bingeing” Belfast and “moderate” France over 10 years.
It concluded that downing lots of alcohol in one or two sessions is worse than drinking more regularly in a week.