For many Irish women, excessive drinking is the norm.
It’s not just the hangover the follow morning that should concern them — it’s the long-term health implications, affecting fertility and increasing susceptibility to diseases such as cancer.
The Department of Health recommends that women consume less than 14 units of alcohol per week, with alcohol-free days. An alcohol binge is six or more units in one session. A unit of alcohol is defined as 10mls of pure ethanol.
If you’re drinking a medium-sized glass of red wine (150mls), that’s 13% alcohol by volume. This will contain 19.5mls of pure alcohol. Each glass will have roughly two units.
If you’re a beer or stout drinker, the most commonly consumed varieties are 4.3% alcohol by volume, meaning that each pint contains 2.4 units. A pub measure of spirits is 1.5 units, whereas a standard bottle of alcopops is 1.8 units.
Once you know the number of units in these different beverages, it should be easy to calculate your typical weekly intake.
If you’re shocked by the final number, you’re probably not alone. One of the biggest factors contributing to over-consumption of alcohol in Ireland is people’s ignorance of how much they’re drinking.
Source: Dr Dan McCartney, Irish Examiner, 04/11/2012
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