Nearly half of London workers binge drink at least once a month

Vitality research shows

Nearly half of London workers binge drink at least once a month
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Study shows 36% are drinking more than the NHS’ recommended 14 units of alcohol per week

Ahead of Alcohol Awareness Week (11 - 17 Nov), research by Vitality has found that over 45% of London's workforce binge drink at least once a month, while more than a third are exceeding the equivalent of six pints of lager or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine a week.

Meanwhile, next in line, 30% of employees in East Anglia and East Midlands binge drink at least once a month, while workers in the Channel Islands or Isle of Man drink the least, with only 18% admitting to consuming more than the NHS' recommended amount.

The data, collected as part of the life and health insurer's Britain's Healthiest Workplace survey developed alongside RAND Europe, which surveyed 26,000 workers, also showed that Scottish employees drink less than their English counterparts, with a quarter of Scots (27%) drinking more than 14 units per week, compared with 36% of Londoners and 34% in the North East.

Smoking

Despite drinking more than anywhere else in the UK, London now only less than 9% of its workforce smoking, with 3% admitting to vaping, the study revealed.

In Yorkshire and the Humber, 16% workers said they smoked and 10% said they vaped.

According to a Public Health England study, 2015 saw Brits make 165 million trips to bars, pubs and clubs during December.  

"As we head into the celebratory festive period, risks of binge drinking are higher than usual," said said Dr. Dawn Richards, GP for VitalityHealth Insurance.  "Whilst you can still have a good time and enjoy a drink or two, it's important to put your health first and consider the amount of alcohol that you're consuming."

Dr Dawn's fistful of festive tipple tips

1.  Stick to your units

"Really try to stick to the NHS recommended 14 units* per week as much as you can. It's easy to measure out the units of your favourite festive tipple. See the guide from the NHS to find out how many units are in different drinks."

2.  Have a lower-strength drink

"Cut down on alcohol by swapping strong beers or wines for ones with a lower strength alcohol by volume % (ABV). This is used to measure the alcohol content in the drink. You can usually find this information on the bottle."

3. Make it a smaller one

"You can still enjoy a drink, but why not go for a smaller size at your Christmas party? Try bottled beer instead of pints or opt for a small (175ml) glass of wine rather than the large 250ml."

4. Order a mocktail

"If you're heading out to bars or clubs for your Christmas party, they will likely offer a mocktail menu alongside alcoholic drinks. If they don't, try ordering a ‘virgin' version of your favourite cocktail from the bartender without alcohol."

5. Enjoy a few booze-free days in the lead up to Christmas

"I'd recommend 2-3 consecutive alcohol-free days as this helps your system recover and can reset your tolerance, too. A simple ruling can make it easier to stick to - for example, ‘Tuesdays to Thursdays I don't drink.' Another option is to try the free Drink Aware app, which allows you to track how much alcohol you have on a daily basis and rewards you for achieving targets like building up ‘no drinking' days."

*Gin, rum, vodka, whisky, tequila, sambuca. Large (35ml) single measures of spirits are 1.4 units [NHS guidelines].

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Further reading

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