Alcohol and Men
07/03/2011
Heavy drinking is often seen as more acceptable in men than in women, perhaps because of the way it is depicted in the media. However, heavy drinking can cause significant problems for men which should not be ignored.
Studies show that two in five British men drink more than four units of alcohol a day regularly, which is over what the Department of Health recommends. One in four drinks twice this, classifying them as binge drinkers.
Figures show that around a quarter of deaths of men younger than 34 are linked to alcohol. This highlights how alcohol abuse doesn’t only affect older men but younger ones too.
It’s true that men are often seen as being able to handle their alcohol better because they are generally bigger-built and their bodies have more capacity to process alcohol. However, women are more likely to understand the risks associated with drinking and perhaps be more careful. Less than one in four men realise the risks which come with heavy drinking, whilst 42% of women do. The number of women aware of the risks has increased 7% whilst awareness among men has stayed the same.
Men are twice as likely to become alcohol-dependent and a fifth of males go on to become ‘problem drinkers’. One in ten men are said to be “at risk” due to their drinking. This is classified as drinking 50 units or more on a weekly basis regularly.
