Drinkers Can Underestimate Alcohol Habits, UK

Some people could be underestimating their alcohol intake by as much as 40 per cent, according to new figures the Department of Health published today.

The snapshot into the nation's drinking habits come as this year's Change4life TV ad campaign is launched to raise awareness of the health harms caused by regularly drinking over the guidelines.

The recent Health Survey for England highlighted underestimations in both the amount and frequency that people drink, raising major concerns about the nation's knowledge of alcohol.

The campaign, which calls on people to check their intake using an online Drinks Checker tool, shows how simple changes can save both money and reduce calories.

Research shows across the country 80 per cent of those that drink too much acknowledge the health risks but think of themselves at most as moderate drinkers. More than 60 per cent of these drinkers have no intention of cutting down.

To get a picture of drinking habits, the Change4Life team asked 19 individuals to keep a detailed drinks diary for two weeks. The findings show those that took part were drinking on average the equivalent of an extra large glass of wine each day, or 40 per cent more that they thought.

After keeping a drinks diary for a week, people were offered simple tips on cutting down and as a result, they:

• cut their alcohol consumption by over a third;
• saved around £33.35 a week - or over £1,730 a year; and
• consumed 1,658 fewer calories a week an average of 236 calories a day - around 10 per cent of the average person's daily intake and the equivalent to 125ml (a small wine glass) of cream per day.

Participants also said that cutting down improved their physical and emotional wellbeing. And those involved also reported that adding more mixer to drinks and substituting alcoholic drinks with soft drinks were the most popular tips to include in their lifestyle.

Other tips for cutting down included having booze-free days if they drink every day, not drinking at home before going out, swapping to low-alcohol or alcohol-free drinks and simply using smaller glasses.

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.

"The Change4Life campaign aims to help and encourage people to check how much they are drinking using the Drinks Checker app or online and if they find they are drinking over the guidelines, provide helpful tips and advice to cut down.

"Cutting back your drinking can reduce your health risks, reduce your calorie intake, help you sleep better and boost your energy. To find out more I strongly recommend people to search Change4Life."

Unhealthy Behavior Common Among University Students

An analysis of student lifestyles was carried out by researchers at the University of Vigo to evaluate how much students drink, whether or not they take illegal drugs, their diet and how much exercise they do. The results of the study published by the Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health indicates that a surprising number of students engage in unhealthy behavior, especially excessive drinking.
One of the main authors, Jose M. Cancela said: The amount drunk per unit of time is higher among women. In other words, even though male students drink more often, females do so more intensively in shorter periods of time, which is known as binge drinking."

A total of 985 students of various different courses at the University of Vigo were randomly selected to be interviewed. The results were slightly shocking and highlighted the extent of alcohol and substance abuse among students, especially women.

Of the men interviewed 41.7% admitted to living a sedentary lifestyle compared to 51.2% women. Women were also found to do a lot less exercise than men with only 20.9% of women doing physical exercise compared to 38.6% of men. Men took illegal drugs more often than women.

The researchers note:





"We were also surprised by the high consumption of illegal drugs among university students - 44.9% of men and 30.9% of women - which we understand could lead to significant future health problems, mainly related to the nervous system."

An irregular attitude to food was apparent in 8.8% percent of men and 16.6% of women. Students who took subjects like education were more likely to have an irregular attitude to food than students who took subjects such as health (19.2% vs 6.3%).

In 2008 universities across Spain set up a Healthy University Network which promoted healthy living for students across the country. The researchers believe that this was just a first step and that healthy habits should be encouraged as part of study plans.

Cancela concludes, "In the light of the results, training and information courses are required in these areas, together with healthy leisure - not just sports facilities - to set up university guidance services for a healthy student lifestyle


 The reason why some people are more vulnerable to alcohol than others was identified in a study published in PNAS. The gene called RASFR2 was found to regulate the predisposition to drink and influence the activity of mesolimbic dopamine neurons. This along with environmental factors, and other genes, is thought to be the reason why some people drink a lot more than others.

The affects of drinking alcohol as a student have been identified in a previous study published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. They found that students who binge drink have worse attention and visual working memory processes than those who don't and require much more effort to carry out certain tasks.