The number of binge drinkers in Britain has risen by 13 per cent, a major report reveals, with women driving the rise.
Data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that in 2016, 29.8 percent of people in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland reported binge episodic drinking.
However, by 2019 this figure had risen to 33.6 per cent, causing concern among alcohol abuse charities.
Heavy episodic drinking refers to consuming 60 grams or more of alcohol (the equivalent of 7.5 units) on at least one occasion in the past 30 days.
This is the same as drinking just over three pints of medium-strength beer, or five small glasses of wine, or around seven gin and tonics in one gulp in one sitting.
Data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that in 2016, 29.8 percent of people in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland reported binge episodic drinking.
While the number of men reporting heavy drinking has remained largely similar, the number of women has seen a marked increase.
In 2016, 13.8 percent of women in the general population reported episodes of excessive alcohol consumption, a figure that had increased to 21.7 percent in 2019.
The charities warned that alcohol continues to ruin the lives of tens of thousands of Britons every year and called for preventive measures such as the introduction of minimum prices.
However, the report also revealed that average daily alcohol intake is expected to decline by 2025.
Figures show that in 2019, Brits drank an average of 23.5g of alcohol a day, the same as half a liter of strong beer.
But it is expected that in 2025, between half and 10.8 g of alcohol will be consumed per day, something more similar to an alcopop.
The latest data also showed that beer is the country’s favorite drink, accounting for 35.4 percent of alcohol consumption, closely followed by wine at 34.6 percent.
This marks a change from 2016, when wine was the firm favourite.
Meanwhile, spirits are currently the preference of 23.6 percent of the population.
Overall, 78.3 per cent of people aged 15 and over in the UK say they are “current drinkers”, with 85.3 per cent of men saying they have drunk in the last year, compared to 71 .5 percent of women.
A further two thirds of 15-19 year olds say they are current drinkers in the UK and Northern Ireland.
Finally, figures show that there has been a 30 per cent reduction in the number of deaths attributable to alcohol between 2010 and 2019.
Outside the UK, the report shows that total alcohol consumption per person worldwide has fallen slightly from 5.7 liters in 2010 to 5.5 liters in 2019.
The highest levels were seen in Europe, followed by the United States.
Meanwhile, 2.6 million deaths a year are attributable to alcohol consumption, accounting for nearly 5 percent of all deaths worldwide.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said: “Substance use seriously harms individual health, increases the risk of chronic diseases and mental health conditions and, tragically, causes millions of preventable deaths each year.”
The NHS recommends that people drink no more than 14 “units” of alcohol (around six glasses of wine or pints of beer) per week. This itself has been diluted in recent decades in light of studies illustrating the health dangers of alcohol.
‘It imposes a heavy burden on families and communities, increasing exposure to accidents, injuries and violence.
“To build a healthier and more equitable society, we must urgently commit to bold actions that reduce the negative health and social consequences of alcohol use and make treatment for substance use disorders accessible and affordable.”
Dr Richard Piper, chief executive of Alcohol Change UK, said: “Health damage caused by alcohol affects tens of thousands of people every year and the heartbreaking thing is that this is entirely avoidable.”
‘Alcohol causes harm to more people in the UK than most of us realize and this extends to families, communities and society.
‘That’s why it’s so important to implement preventive measures to stop damage before it happens. We urgently need population-inclusive approaches that have been proven to work.
‘That means having proper controls on alcohol marketing, especially online; minimum unit pricing for alcohol, so that hard alcohol cannot be sold at pocket-friendly prices; better support and treatment, and proper alcohol labelling so that we are all properly informed about what is in our drinks.’
DO YOU DRINK TOO MUCH ALCOHOL? THE 10 QUESTIONS THAT REVEAL YOUR RISK
A screening tool widely used by medical professionals is the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Testing). Developed in collaboration with the World Health Organization, the 10-question test is considered the gold standard to help determine if someone has alcohol abuse problems.
The test has been reproduced here with permission from the WHO.
To complete it, answer each question and write down the corresponding score.
YOUR SCORE:
0-7: You are within the range of reasonable alcohol consumption and are at low risk for alcohol-related problems.
Over 8: Indicates harmful or dangerous consumption.
8-15: Medium risk level. Drinking at your current level puts you at risk of developing problems with your health and your life in general, such as work and relationships. Consider cutting back (see tips below).
16-19: Increased risk of complications from alcohol. Cutting back on your own may be difficult at this level as you may be dependent, so you may need professional help from your GP and/or a counsellor.
20 and over: Possible dependency. Your alcohol consumption is already causing you problems and it is very possible that you are dependent. You should definitely consider stopping drinking gradually or at least reducing your alcohol consumption. You should seek professional help to determine the level of your dependence and the safest way to quit alcohol.
Severe dependence may require medically assisted withdrawal or detoxification in a hospital or specialized clinic. This is due to the likelihood of severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms occurring in the first 48 hours requiring specialized treatment.