Do you actually know how much you drink?
That’s the question being asked of people across East Berkshire, North East Hampshire, Surrey Heath and Farnham this June and July.
It’s because evidence suggests that in recent years the number of people drinking alcohol at harmful levels has risen, meaning they are going beyond – far beyond in some cases – the recommended weekly limits.
A social media campaign is being launched to reach people across the area, and whether they’re casual at-home drinkers of an evening, or they like to party at the weekend, they’re being urged to think about their alcohol consumption and whether they’re aware of where they stand.
Dr Kuldeep Cheent is a consultant gastroenterologist and hepatologist (liver specialist) at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust.
He said: “What many people don’t realise is there’s no such thing as a safe alcoholic drink. Despite this, we recognise that there is a level of drinking beyond which real harm starts to be done, and that level is set at 14 units of alcohol per week.
“Of course that only means something to people if they understand what a unit is, so I’m urging everyone who drinks any amount of alcohol to find out, so they know what their situation is and whether they may be at risk of harm.
“Drinking too much alcohol can damage the body in a number of ways but it may take years for the effects to be seen, by which time it may be too late to do anything about it. That’s why it’s critical that drinkers take action now.”
In general, a medium glass of wine or a pint of medium-strength lager or beer is about 2.3 units, meaning that drinking more than six of one or the other during a week will take someone over the limit.
There may be many reasons why people drink alcohol, from socialising to peer pressure all the way through to addiction. Whatever the reason, drinking too much on a regular basis is known to cause both short-term and long-term damage to a person’s physical and mental health.
Drinking too much increases the risk of developing cirrhosis of the liver, cancer, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Heavy drinking can also lead to an increase in antisocial behaviour, including domestic abuse and violence.
One popular misconception is that staying sober for several days and focusing drinking in a couple of days – at the weekend, for example – is better for you. However, studies suggest that so-called ‘binge drinking’ may actually be worse for you than spreading out your drinking over a longer period of time.
For more information, including details of services that can help to tackle problem drinking – as well as support those living with problem drinkers – visit the Frimley Health and Care website’s alcohol awareness pages.