Binge drinking is a major problem in the midlands

As the Christmas season approaches we must turn our attention to the over-consumption of alcohol in our community. A recent survey conducted by two nutrition students in Tullamore aimed to look at current drinking habits of people in the area. The questionnaire was carried out on 50 individuals across all ages both male and female. The most shocking finding of the survey was the excessive amounts of alcohol consumed on a single occasion, with the dangerous pattern of binge drinking strongly evident. Binge drinking is the consumption of five units or more of alcohol on a single occasion. This survey revealed that at present 86% of people surveyed consumed greater than the recommended five units on one night, approximately 35% consuming greater than 20 units per night with some individuals consuming up to 40 units per night. There is a large number of health problems associated with this pattern of alcohol consumption including: Alcohol poisoning, Liver disease, High blood pressure, stroke and heart attacks, Brain damage, Unintentional injuries (such as car accidents and falls), Public disorder (resulting in injuries from street and domestic violence) Worryingly, 100% of people surveyed were unaware of the recommendations for safe alcohol intake and the majority of these did not realise that their current alcohol intake exceeded recommendations. Much confusion was found to exist around what a unit of alcohol is and how many units are safe to have on one night. For safe alcohol intake, current Irish and UK guidelines recommend less than 14 units per week for females (2-3 units max. on a single night) and 21 units per week for males (3-4 units max. on a single night). These guidelines also recommend having some alcohol free days in the week. A unit of alcohol is equal to ½ pint of beer (3.5% vol.), a pub measure of spirits or a small glass of wine (100mls). The following are some simple strategies you can try which will help reduce the amount of alcohol you consume in one sitting: If you do drink alcohol, drink slowly. Take sips, not gulps and put your glass down between sips. Avoid drinking in rounds. If you do get into a round, ask for a non-alcoholic drink instead. Quench your thirst. You will drink alcohol faster if you are thirsty, so have a non-alcoholic drink before drinking alcohol. Don"t let people top up your drinks - it"s harder to keep track of how much you have had. If drinking at home use smaller glasses as home measures tend to be more generous and therefore have more units for example wine glasses for home use can hold a half to a full bottle of wine, (500 - 750ml). Watch out for the snacks - one of the problems with drinking is what you consume with alcohol - chips, nuts, etc. which can make you thirstier! For every alcoholic drink consumed drink one non-alcoholic drink. For more info see drinkaware.ie or contact Midland Community Nutrition & Dietetic Service @ 044 93 53220 or email community.nutrition@hse.ie