Balance, the North East's regional alcohol office, has released a new report warning 'many thousands of people in our region are risking health problems and an early death from alcohol without being aware of the necessary information around units.'
Download Alcohol: Are we Kidding Ourselves? here [pdf].
The report says around 550,000 North East adults are drinking above the recommended guideline of no more than 14 units a week, but most of those drinking above this believe they are moderate or low risk drinkers.
The survey of 800 people found:
- 89% of people in the North East (NE) drink alcohol compared to 78% across the UK.
- Over one in four NE adults (26%) are drinking above the Chief Medical Officer’s low risk guidelines of 14 units a week compared to one in five (20%) across the UK – that’s around 550,000 people
- Nearly 9/10 North East adults drinking above 14 units a week consider themselves to be either “light or moderate” drinkers – around 467,000 people.
- Nearly one in 10 (8%) NE adults are drinking at over 28 units a week – more than twice the weekly low risk guidelines. T
- Three out of four people drinking more than 28 units a week believe they are a light or moderate drinker – estimated 123,000 people in the North East.
Colin Shevills, Director of Balance, said:
“The worrying conclusion is that thousands of people in our region are putting themselves at greater risk of premature death and disease from alcohol while considering themselves moderate drinkers and remaining oblivious to the risks they are taking.
“Evidence is now very clear that any level of regular drinking raises the risks of cancer, but drinking over 14 units a week increases even more the risks of cancer, heart disease, stroke, dementia, high blood pressure and diabetes.
“Heavy drinking is often blamed on younger people but it is people in their 40s and 50s who are putting their health most at risk, although they might feel they are drinking responsibly.”
“Most, if not all, major alcohol brands are refusing to feature health warnings or information about units on their products and so drinkers are deliberately being kept in the dark. This is at a time when alcohol is far too cheap and far too heavily promoted.”
Raising awareness - a crucial step?
The report may be seen to add to wider evidence that many at-risk or harmful drinkers do indeed overlook - or perhaps downplay - the risks associated with their drinking, as indeed previous surveys and research has indicated. Questions aside over to the likely complex and multiple reasons behind this, policy debates frequently revolve around what measures can or should be taken to affect change amongst these drinking groups.
Balance and other health groups continue to call for improvements in labelling such that basic unit information, guidelines, health warning and calories should be made mandatory. A long history of self-regulation has often been argued to fall short. Last year the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA) released a 'Right to know' report and campaign, arguing the self-regulation of alcohol labels is currently 'failing consumers', whist the recent release of a revised self-regulatory code from the Portman Group prompted further debates.
Hope for those wanting firmer Government action had been raised by a statement earlier this year by MP Steve Brine stating expectations for the industry to comply with the Department of Health's labelling guidelines by September, although Brine has been among recent MPs resigning over Brexit issues. Others meanwhile, mindful of the apparent limited effect on behaviour of responsible drinking messages, are keen to highlight the perceived shortfall in broader alcohol policy issues. Indeed Balance's latest report continues calls for measures such as minimum pricing and further regulatory measures ahead of a rumoured new alcohol strategy this year.
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