Strong drinks 'raise binge risk'

Drinkers are being urged to think about their boozing habits

More people in Scotland are drinking to binge levels than previously estimated, updated alcohol abuse figures show.

Stronger drinks and bigger measures mean consumption may be twice the level previous surveys have reported.

An NHS Health Scotland study shows 34% of men drink more than the recommended 21 units a week and 23% of women drink more than the recommended 14 units.

The Scottish Government warned that the true scale of alcohol misuse could be even greater than the figures suggest.

The statistics, recalculated from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey to take into account larger and stronger drinks, show the numbers of men and women exceeding weekly recommended intake were up from 27% and 14% respectively under the old calculations.

They also warn that 40% of men and 33% of women binge drink at least double the recommended level on their heaviest day.

Minister for Public Health Shona Robison said: "What's even more worrying is that, given NHS Health Scotland's findings, the true scale of alcohol misuse is likely to be significantly worse than even these figures suggest.

The alcohol challenge faced by Scotland appears to be more serious than we thought Sonnda Catto NHS Health Scotland

"We have to dispel the myth that alcohol-related harm is a marginal problem, that it affects only those with chronic alcohol dependency, or so-called 'binge drinkers'.

"We need to rebalance Scotland's relationship with alcohol and enable people to make more positive choices about their alcohol use. Although there are no quick fixes, we feel this is a realistic goal. We are in this for the long-term."

The Scottish Government is planning to publish its proposals for tackling alcohol misuse for consultation in the summer.

NHS Health Scotland said the re-assessment of drink measures and strength would ensure that future health surveys reflected the nation's alcohol consumption more accurately, reflecting changes in what we drink and how.

The measurements of alcohol units were quantified 30 years ago.

Sonnda Catto, public health surveys manager at NHS Health Scotland and author of the report, said: "This review has changed our ideas about the scale of alcohol consumption in Scotland and it has already helped Scottish Government thinking in the development of its new alcohol strategy.

"With drinks getting stronger and people becoming used to larger drink sizes, the alcohol challenge faced by Scotland appears to be more serious than we thought."

The study warns that far fewer drinks could constitute binge drinking

To calculate how much people are drinking, surveys of alcohol consumption convert "drinks" into "units" of alcohol.

They have classed a glass of wine as one unit, equivalent to 125ml at a strength of 8%

But now, wines typically range from 11.5% to 14.5% in alcoholic strength and 175ml and 250ml glasses are more common in licensed premises.

At these strengths and sizes, a glass of wine would contain between 2.0 and 3.6 units of alcohol.

At the same time a pint of normal strength beer has been classed as having two units of alcohol but many popular beers of this type now contain three units per pint.

The review also shows that what people are drinking at home has been substantially underestimated because people pour much bigger home measures.

Current health guidelines recommend that women avoid regularly drinking three or more units of alcohol a day.

Men are advised not to regularly drink four or more units a day.

The report shows that just one large glass of wine can take a woman over these levels and that two glasses could be a "binge".

Similarly, just one-and-a-half pints of beer at 5% could take a man over the recommended maximum for a day and two pints would be a "binge".

This also has implications for drink-driving as people may be over the limit after just one drink.

A more detailed publication in June will update all of the analyses included in the 2003 Scottish Health Survey alcohol chapter for adults.