HEALTHY LIVING BEHIND THE BOOZE A BBQ WITHOUT A CIDER – THAT’S NOT A BBQ. A MATCH WITHOUT A PINT IN ONE HAND AND FLYING BEER FOAM EVERY TIME WE SCORE IS BARELY WORTH WATCHING. 64 <strong>MAN</strong> MAGAZINE WINTER <strong>2019</strong> sevenstarmedia.co.uk
HEALTHY LIVING sevenstarmedia.co.uk A nd Friday night without a customary quick end-of-week half is no way to kick-off the weekend. Being able to hold your ale is one thing, but drinking your mates under the table every other night might be pushing it. Exceeding the weekly recommended units on a regular basis can lead to withdrawal symptoms, hair of the dog and worse case, a slippery slope to finding the answers in the bottom of the pint glass. According to drug and alcohol charity, Addaction, 4% of drinkers consume one third of the alcohol sold. While some of us might be losing track of the BBQs, matches and excuses for a celebratory pint, as a nation we are drinking less, with overall consumption in the UK sinking by 16% since 2004 and 20% of the population classifying themselves as ‘nondrinkers’ (British Beer and Pub Assoc. 2016). What’s prompted the change and why are so many of us swapping out the beer in favour of a Virgin Daquiri? Pocketing cash The price of booze may be 64% cheaper than in was in 1980 but it’s increased by 33% over the past 10 years and stats show the more you earn, the more likely you are to spend on drink. According to Alcohol Change UK, 88% of participants in the Dry January campaign saved cash during an entire month staying off the beers. For most occasional drinkers the cost of drinking may not make such a big difference, but price regulation is one way to reduce availability for those who struggle with addiction: “Increasing the price of high alcohol drinks is proven to make a difference. Minimum Unit Pricing sets a price below which a unit of alcohol can’t be legally sold. It reduces availability of high strength, lowcost drinks that tend to be consumed by people with alcohol problems. Scotland and Ireland have led the way on this and it’s time for England to catch up.” Says Karen Tyrell, Executive Director of External Affairs at drug and alcohol charity Addaction, responding to the Lancet alcohol study. Although the NHS site states that there is no link between mental health and drinking (at time of writing); according to a Public Health report on substance misuse, alcohol consumption is a causal factor for depression and 41% of people in alcohol treatment also need mental health treatment (with 20% of them not receiving any mental health treatment). Health wise Keeping fit is a motivator for reducing the number of beers you might down in a session and it makes gym sessions a little more effective if you’re not loading on the extra calories that don’t translate into muscle mass. The Alcohol Change UK research showed that 71% of the Dry Jan participants reported better sleep; 67% better energy levels and 58% lost weight. The ways in which alcohol consumption affects your health vary – depending on how much and how regularly you crack open the bottle. What’s clear though, the less you drink, the less likely you are to develop certain illnesses. Drinking more than the recommended upper limit of 14 units a week on a regular basis makes a difference; alcohol consumption is a causal factor in more than 60 medical conditions, including mouth, throat, stomach, liver and breast cancers; high blood pressure, cirrhosis of the liver; and depression. Another likely reason that’s encouraging Brits to cut down. Getting sorted According to Addaction, getting older doesn’t necessarily make us wise when it comes to drinking: “[…] alcohol is a growing issue for older people. Hospital admissions due to alcohol for this group have increased dramatically in recent years. Alcohol creeps The number of units you’re drinking depends on the size and strength of your drink (volume of the glass and the % of alcohol). According to the Department of Health 14 units should be spread across the week. 14 units equates to 6 pints at 4% per pint OR 6 glasses of 175ml at 13% OR 14 measures of whiskey (25ml shots at 40%). up on people, playing an ever-increasing role in their lives. Better treatment options will help people take control earlier.” says Tyrell. When it gets serious, alcohol misuse is the biggest risk factor for death, ill-health and disability among 15-49-year-olds in the UK, and the fifth biggest risk factor across all ages and in England, there are an estimated 589,101 dependent drinkers (2016/17 – Public Health England 2018), of whom 81.7% are not accessing treatment. The good news is that when it comes to getting help, many people take the initiative – 61% of clients starting treatment were self-referrals. 24% were from health services and social care, which includes 14% from GPs. The average age for people in alcohol treatment is 46, with 60% of people in alcohol treatment being male. “Alcohol is soaked through our culture. The alcohol industry has set the terms of the debate for too long. Flashy marketing disguises an industry that doesn’t do nearly enough to compensate for the harm it causes,” explains Tyrell. “Helping people make healthier choices is vital but all the evidence shows we need better policy if we are serious about change.” More stats & reports on our nation’s drinking habits at www. alcoholchange.org.uk/ alcohol-facts/fact-sheets/ alcohol-statistics For more information www.drinkaware.co.uk Author: A E Lee <strong>MAN</strong> MAGAZINE WINTER <strong>2019</strong> 65
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