Department of Health and Social Care
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Over 1 in 5 blame beer pressure for drinking more
BUT PRESSURE TO
DRINK COULD BE ALL IN THE MIND
Peer pressure to drink to excess could be all in our minds according to a survey published for the Department of Health today.
A YouGov poll of more than 2,000 English adults suggests over one in five (22%) people who have ended up drinking more than planned put it down to peer pressure, while 39% of drinkers feel the need to make up an excuse or lie to justify refusing a drink.
However, the survey for the Department of Health’s ‘Alcohol Effects’ campaign shows this is unnecessary as it appears peer pressure hardly exists.
The poll found:
only 1% of English adults who drink, think less of people who refuse a drink or choose to drink less than them;just 4% expect their friends to keep up with them when drinking; andonly 2% admit to piling on the pressure for friends to drink more when they don’t want to.
The NHS recommends women do not regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day (about 2 small glasses of wine), and men do not regularly drink more than 3-4 units a day (about two pints of beer).
Public Health Minister Gillian Merron said:
"Many of us enjoy a drink — drinking sensibly isn't a problem, but too many are regularly drinking more than the NHS advises. This means you're at higher risk of getting cancer or having a stroke or heart attack.
“This survey should encourage us all that it is ok to be honest with our friends about when we’ve had enough.
“Protecting our long-term health should be a good enough reason for anyone.”
Health and Wellbeing Expert Liz Tucker said:
“There is sometimes a certain amount of cajoling that goes on between friends on a night out to have an extra tipple, but people need to realise this is usually all in good jest, as this research backs up.
“In reality, nobody really minds when a friend calls it a night if they feel they’ve had enough, or when our partner doesn’t fancy sharing a bottle at home – and we should all feel confident enough to say so.”
Top tips
Rather than having to resort to bending the truth to avoid drinking, those wanting to drink less could try the following tips:
· Take it a day at a time: try and cut back a little every day. Each day you cut back is a success.
· Make it a smaller one: you can still enjoy a drink but have less. Try bottled beer instead of a pint or a small glass of wine instead of a large.
· Have a lower strength drink: manage how much you drink by swapping a strong strength beer or wine for one with a lower ABV.
· Take a break: have the odd day here and there when you don’t have a drink
The health facts:
· You could be three times more likely to have a stroke and three times more likely to get mouth cancer if you’re a man regularly drinking more than two pints of strong lager a day.
· You are 50% more likely to get breast cancer and twice as likely to have high blood pressure, which could lead to a stroke or a heart attack, if you’re a woman regularly drinking two glasses of wine or more a day.
More information and tips are available at www.nhs.uk/drinking, where an interactive drinks tracker can help you work out if you are regularly drinking above the NHS recommended limits.
Notes to Editors
· For media enquiries only please contact the Department of Health newsdesk on 0207 210 5221
· All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov plc. Total sample size was 2,421 adults living in England. Fieldwork was undertaken between 16 – 18 November 2009. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all English adults (aged 18+).
· The Department of Health’s new ‘Alcohol Effects’ campaign launched last month and is backed by Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and The Stroke Association.
· It features TV, press and poster adverts warning drinkers of the long-term unseen health damage caused by regularly drinking more than the NHS advises.
· ‘Regularly’ means drinking every day or most days of the week.
Contacts:
Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk
