A QUARTER OF UK ADULTS ARE BINGE DRINKERS

One in four adults¹ in Britain are binge drinkers, a new study by BUPA Wellness today reveals.

And what's more - they don't care. 11 million Brits binge drink², but two thirds of them (67 percent) insist their diet is healthy and four in ten (42 percent) believe their drinking has no effect whatsoever on their health.

The study into the nation's drinking habits also shows both confusion and denial. Almost one in three men (29 percent) and one in five (20 percent) women drink at least double the recommended amount on a night out. Worryingly 69 percent of binge drinkers insist they aren't binge drinkers at all and 60 percent aren't concerned about how much they drink.

With the new licensing laws coming into effect on 24 November, the UK is facing a health time bomb: eight out of ten drinkers (84 percent) currently don't keep track of how much they drink on a night out and a defiant one in six (16 percent) believe longer opening hours would actually encourage them to drink more.

Not only are they risking their health, binge drinkers are also costing their employer by having days off to recover from a drinking session. One in six (15 percent) drinkers admit to having at least one 'hangover' day every 12 months, with some admitting to staying at home up to five days per year.

Dr. Peter Mace, BUPA Wellness Medical Director comments on the research findings:
"Drinking limits are not as easily defined as they once were. There is no such thing as a standard drink any more. A pint of beer or glass of wine is served in a variety of strengths and sizes so it's confusing for people to know exactly how much is safe to drink.

"As our research shows that almost half of drinkers are baffled by Government advice on safe drinking limits, BUPA Wellness believes the Government needs to take steps to reduce the confusion particularly if licensing hours are to be extended. There is clearly a gap in information being provided for drinkers and a strong need for education to stem what is fast becoming a serious health and social problem for the UK .

"What is clear is that people who storm the bars or drink excessively at home on a regular basis will face serious health issues in the years to come. Besides the impact on their physical health, heavy drinkers put themselves at risk of fights, unsafe sex and potentially worse if they continue drinking too much on a night out."

Young men most at risk
The study reveals that almost half (47 percent) of men aged 18-24 are binge drinkers. More alarming still, 83 percent of men aged 18-24 do not keep track of how much they drink on a night out.

A worrying 27 percent of young men aged 18-34 say longer opening hours would encourage them to drink more and a quarter admit they have a job and lifestyle that encourages regular drinking.

To ensure your continued health and wellbeing, BUPA Wellness offers a variety of Health Assessments for you to take time out to review both your physical condition as well as your lifestyle for optimum health. To find out more information or book a Health Assessment, please phone BUPA Wellness on 0845 600 3458.

For further information please contact:
Sally Johnson
BUPA Corporate Communications

Email: johnsosa@bupa.com

Regional Table for Binge Drinking

Questions                                           National        North            Midlands        South  
Number of binge drinkers by region      11 million      5,082,000       2,656,000       3,242,000      

% of binge drinkers who believe their     67%            61%               61%                79%    
diet is healthy                                

% of binge drinkers who believe drinking   42%          41%               38%               45%    
doesn't affect their health                                    

% of binge drinkers who don't consider  69%     72%     65%     68%    
themselves to be binge drinkers                                

% of binge drinkers who don't worry     60%     64%     55%     58%    
about their drinking                                   

% of men who would generally drink      29%     41%     29%     20%    
4 or more glasses of wine / pints of                                   
beer, or 8 or more measures of                                 
spirits on a night out                                 

% of women who would generally drink    20%     27%     18%     16%    
3 or more glasses of wine / pints of beer,                                     
or 6 or more measures of spirits on a                                  
night out                                      

% of binge drinkers who don't keep track        84%     84%     87%     81%    
of the number of units of alcohol                                      
consumed                                       

% of binge drinkers who believe that    16%     16%     11%     19%    
longer opening hours would encourage                                   
them to drink more                                     

% of binge drinkers who have ever       15%     15%     15%     16%    
called in sick to work after a heavy                                   
drinking session                                       

% of binge drinkers who have called in  1%      2%      2%      -      
sick to work on 5 or more occasions                                    
after a heavy drinking session                                 

% of binge drinkers who believe that the        41%     45%     38%     36%    
Government's recommended daily                                 
amount of alcohol intake is confusing                                  

Notes 
Research conducted for BUPA Wellness by TNS Omnimas on 19th-23^rd August amongst 2000 UK adults aged 18+.

1.        11 million people in Britain binge drink - 29% of men (6,301,000) said they drank more than 4 pints and 20% of women (4,679,000) said they drink more than 3 glasses of wine. 6,301,000 + 4,679,000 = 10,980,000 people in total. According to TNS Omnimas, the current UK population figure of 18+ adults is 45,136,000. 45,136,000 divided by 10,980,000 = 4.11 

2. Binge drinking is classed by the government as drinking twice the recommended guidelines in one day i.e. 6 units for women and 8 for men. This is the equivalent of having 3 glasses of wine or 6 measures of spirits or more for women and 4 pints or 8 measures of spirits or more for men, on a single night out. Source: The Prime Minister's strategy unit

3. The Government recommends that women drink no more than 2-3 units of alcohol per day and that men drink no more than 3-4 units per day. I unit = 10 mls of alcohol. Source: Department of Health

BUPA

(27/10/05)