“It’s concerning to see that men and women in the UK are more likely to drink heavily than in other developed countries, with women topping the leaderboard for the number of heavy drinking episodes,” says Dr Katherine Severi, chief executive of the Institute of Alcohol Studies.
How much is too much?
So, what exactly is binge drinking? “A binge is defined as six units in one sitting for a woman, and eight units for a man,” says Karen Tyrell, chief executive officer of the charity Drinkaware. A shot of spirit contains one unit, a standard glass of wine contains two, as does a pint of beer. “Six units is about three medium glasses of wine, so [for a woman] a little over half a bottle is considered a binge,” she says.
However, despite the two-unit difference, which is due to biological differences that mean women take longer to metabolise alcohol than men, both should stick to no more than 14 units per week. “The Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines for both men and women are to keep health risks from alcohol to a low level by drinking 14 or fewer units of alcohol per week,” says Tyrell.
But if you’re going to drink alcohol, those units shouldn’t be consumed all in one go. “You should spread your drinking out over three or more days. Don’t save all your units for the weekend.”
A 2019 study from University Hospital Southampton found that drinking a bottle of wine in one sitting increases a woman’s cancer risk as much as smoking 10 cigarettes. Research has also shown that heavy, but less frequent drinkers – in other words, binge drinkers – are at a greater risk of obesity than those who drink more often, but moderately.
But large quantities at once is precisely what more of us seem to be doing.
Mums who drink
Among my own friendship group – largely made up of 40-something working mothers – it’s rare to find a friend who drinks every day or even midweek, thanks to early alarms and school runs. Rarer still, however, is to find one who isn’t popping open a bottle of prosecco at 5pm on a Friday in a friend’s kitchen.
Tyrell says that social acceptability around drinking has evolved over time, which is evident from the cans of pink G&Ts you see at picnics and sports days, along with hen dos and general brunch culture. But it also goes on behind closed doors, and around kitchen islands.
“When we first set up Drinkaware in the early 2000s, binge drinking was very visible,” says Tyrell. “Young people falling out of nightclubs, that kind of thing. But interestingly young people now drink less. Some do drink problematically of course, but studies show young adults are more likely to be non-drinkers than other age groups. The middle-age group is where the problems lie.”
In other words, while those of us who were falling out of nightclubs 20 years ago are probably now middle-aged parents with responsibilities, old habits die hard.
“Women drink for a range of different reasons, including coping with life and the pressures it throws at us,” says Tyrell, who adds that as well as the feeling of letting your hair down, having a glass of wine (or three) at the end of a hard week has become synonymous with “getting away from your day-to-day cares and worries”.
“However, there is a spectrum that people find themselves on [with alcohol] and light-hearted fun can slide into a situation that’s causing harm to your health or your relationship with your friends and family. In the short term, that might mean feelings of shame, not being able to take your child to football because you’re hungover, or [at the extreme] falling down the stairs and ending up in A&E. But longer term, problems include an increased risk of breast cancer, stroke, heart disease and poor mental health.”
Tyrell says having a healthier relationship with alcohol is something we should all be aspiring to, and suggests finding out about your own by taking the Drinking Check test on the Drinkaware website.
And if you do want to drink less, there are plenty of ways to do it: “There are some really good low or no alcohol drinks on the market,” she says. “Swap out alcoholic drinks for water, and set the expectations of the people you usually drink with, explaining you don’t want to drink too much or want to be home by a certain time.”
Lastly, she says, know your triggers, whether it’s a bad day at work, being with certain friends, or when the clock strikes 5pm on a Friday…
Five health risks of drinking too much
Cancer
A 2019 study from University Hospital Southampton found that drinking a bottle of wine in one sitting increases a woman’s cancer risk as much as smoking 10 cigarettes.
Heart health
Despite much debate over whether moderate drinking is good for the heart, in July 2023 researchers from Boston University found that having just one alcoholic drink a day was linked to a rise in blood pressure.
Anxiety
According to Drinkaware, alcohol is a depressant that slows down processes in your brain and central nervous system. In the short term, this makes you feel more relaxed by reducing inhibitions, but this wears off quickly and alcohol can then increase anxiety.
Weight gain
Studies show that heavy, but less frequent drinkers – in other words, binge drinkers – are at a greater risk of obesity than those who drink more often, but moderately.
Reduced immunity
A 2015 study published in the health journal Alcohol found that just one episode of binge drinking can reduce your white blood cell count, which in turn reduces the effectiveness of your immune system.
