The new alcohol guidelines explained

The UK Chief Medical Officers have published new guidelines for low-risk levels of alcohol consumption.  This brief guide will explain what they mean. WHAT ARE THE NEW GUIDELINES FOR LOW-RISK DRINKING? The revised guidelines recommend that: Men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week. Ideally, this should be spread evenly over three days or more. Drinkers should limit the amount they consume on single occasions, and intersperse drinking alcohol with eating food and drinking water. Pregnant women should avoid drinking altogether. The full guidelines, alongside a consultation document on their wording, are available here. HOW MUCH IS 14 UNITS IN REAL DRINKS? The following is general guide – actual levels will vary depending on the strength of the drink and the size of the serving: 6 standard glasses of wine at around 14% ABV 6 pints of beer at around 4.5% ABV 7 440ml cans of lager at around 4.8%ABV 7 double shots of spirits   WHY ARE THE NEW LEVELS NOW THE SAME FOR MEN AND WOMEN? The new guidelines recognise that while long-term alcohol-health risks are generally higher for women than men, men face much higher risks of acute harm (e.g. injury) on single drinking occasions.  Therefore, it has been decided to set the lower-risk level at the same amount for both. HOW HAS THE GUIDANCE FOR DRINKING IN PREGNANCY CHANGED? The previous guidelines recommended that women avoid drinking when pregnant, but if drinking consumed no mor...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - Category: Addiction Authors: Tags: News Special Reports guidelines risk risk factors Source Type: news