Brits regularly consume over the recommended guidelines of alcohol

24% of adults in England and Scotland regularly consume over the Chief Medical Officer’s low-risk alcohol guidelines and 27% of drinkers in Great Britain binge drink on their heaviest drinking days (over 8 units for men and over 6 units for women). In the UK, in 2016 there were 9,214 alcohol-related deaths (around 15 per 100,000 people). The mortality rates are highest among people aged between 55-69. 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.

In England in 2017/18, there were an estimated 1.2 million hospital admissions related to alcohol consumption (7.2% of all hospital admissions), 3% higher than the previous year. In the same period there were 338,000 admissions for conditions directly caused by alcohol, 15% higher than ten years previously. In Wales in 2017/18, there were 54,900 alcohol-related hospital admissions and 14,600 alcohol-specific admissions, while in Scotland during 2017/18 there were 35,500 alcohol related hospital admissions.

Aston spoke to Simon Waterfall, managing director at soda folk to discuss the research in further detail.