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Chief executives of big British companies and public sector organisations are coping with their stressful positions by drinking the equivalent of almost three bottles of wine a week, research shows.
Men holding the highest positions drink an average of almost 23 units a week - more than 11 medium (175ml) glasses of wine.
Their consumption exceeds the total recommended weekly limit for alcohol of 21 units and suggests many businessmen and managers may suffer ill-health as a result.
Doctors, lawyers, accountants and other professional men are also knocking back above-average volumes of alcohol - 20 units a week - according to figures from the Office of National Statistics. Overall, they show that across all social classes about 10 million people are drinking more than the recommended weekly maximum of 21 units for a man and 14 for a woman.
Men are likely to drink twice as much as women. Men were drinking 18.7 units a week and a women nine units, compared with previous estimates of 14.8 and 6.2.
In an attempt to discourage binge drinking, the Government advises women to drink no more than two units a day and men three units a day. A 175ml glass of wine counts as two units and a 250ml glass three units.
Four in 10 men and a third of women exceeded the daily limits at least once a week, with home being the most popular place for people to drink.
- Independent
