Campaign targets binge drinking

A binge is 10 units in one session for men

People do not need to be drunk in order to be damaging their health through alcohol, according to a new campaign.

The Health Promotion Agency said it was important to spread the recommended units across the entire week.

Its campaign involves a range of materials to be distributed to off-sales, pubs and clubs across Northern Ireland.

The aim is to raise people's awareness of their alcohol intake and reduce the amount they drink.

A binge is 10 units in one session for men (five pints of lager) and 7 units in one session for women (three small glasses of wine and two vodka measures).

Victoria Creasy of the HPA said: "Over the course of a week, men should not drink more than 21 units and women not more than 14 units.

"It's important to spread these units throughout the week. Often drinkers pack their drinking into a few sessions at the weekend unaware of the damage this is doing to their health."

Rob Phipps, of the Department of Health, which funded the campaign, said: "Binge drinking is a particular feature of drinking patterns in Northern Ireland.

"It is unhealthy at a personal and societal level and one which we do need to challenge and address."