A new campaign has been launched to encourage middle-aged people to drink less. Statistics show that people aged between 45 and 65 years old are most likely to exceed the recommended weekly intake of alcohol.
According to a YouGov poll, middle-aged people find reducing their alcohol intake harder than committing to doing more exercise or eating healthily. The campaign is encouraging people in this age bracket to ensure they have drink-free days during the week in a bid to reduce the overall number of units consumed. The recommended weekly intake of alcohol is 14 units, which equates to 14 single measures of spirits or 7 standard-size glasses of wine.
Dr Julia Verne, a spokesperson for Public Health England specialising in liver disease, said that having alcohol-free days gives your body, most importantly, your liver, the chance to recover and rest. Research suggests that people find it a lot easier to have a couple of days without drinking than to cut alcohol out completely. As well as reducing the risk of liver disease and other alcohol-related health complications, studies suggest that drink-free days also improve sleep patterns and contribute to reduced risk of excessive calorie consumption.
The Drink Free Days campaign has been launched by Public Health England in conjunction with Drinkaware, a charity, which raises awareness of the dangers of alcoholism. The aim is to encourage people, most notably those aged between 45 and 65, to take days off from drinking in a bid to improve their overall health and wellbeing. A poll conducted by YouGov between May and June this year suggested that 1 in 5 people in this demographic drink more than the recommended intake of 14 units per week.
Dr Verne said that the majority of middle-aged drinkers consume alcohol for pleasure, rather than as a means of getting drunk, but the problem is that many don’t realise that they are drinking more than they should be, and social drinking and relaxing with a few glasses of wine after work become a habit. The campaign urges people to think about how much they drink, and ultimately, to reduce their intake by having days when they don’t touch a drop of alcohol.