Drinkers are consuming almost twice as much alcohol as official studies estimate, according to research which shows women are just as likely to ‘binge drink’ as men.
The Telegraph UK
Nationwide surveys that purport to show the ‘average’ man and women drink much less than the recommended weekly limit are seriously flawed, according to public health experts at University College London. In these surveys, people only admit to drinking about 60 per cent of the amount that actually gets bought, said the researchers. Unless vast amounts are getting spilled or poured down plugholes, the discrepancy suggests people are being economical with the truth when it comes to their drinking habits.
The implication is that far more people are binge drinking than current estimates predict – particularly affluent women. In addition, the research suggests the ‘average’ drinker is actually knocking back at least the weekly limit, week-in week-out, and probably more.
Doctors said the study, published in the European Journal of Public Health, was further evidence that the Government needed to hold its nerve and set the minimum price for alcohol at 50p per unit. But the drinks industry argued it painted a “hypothetical” picture based on old data.
How can that be? How can the ‘estimate’ be so wrong?
It should not be difficult to trace how much alcohol is being produced and imported.
Yes you are right and thats what they have done, they found out how much alcohol was sold in the shops. The amount of alcohol which actually “gets bought” is far more then what people admitted to have consumed. People only admit to drinking about 60 per cent of the amount that actually they bought. Unless vast amounts are getting thrown in the sink, the discrepancy in the amount sold and consumed suggests people are being economical with the truth when it comes to their drinking habits. Therefore it is very easy for these‘estimate’ to be so wrong. The crux of the matter is that a lot more alcohol is being sold in the shops than people are admitting to have consumed.