English Drinkers 'ignorant' About Alcohol Units in a Glass of Wine: New Poll

A new poll published on Monday says that more than three quarters of English drinkers do not know how many units are in a glass of wine.

More than three quarters of English drinkers do not know how many units are in a glass of wine, a new poll published on Monday found as the British government launched a new alcohol awareness campaign.

According to a YouGov survey, over 80 percent of drinkers think they know what they're drinking.

But when pushed on the specifics, more than three quarters of respondents -- 77 percent -- did not know how many units were in a large glass of wine.

Over half -- 55 percent -- thought it contained two units, rather than three.

One in three people didn't know an pint of beer contained two units of alcohol -- and 58 percent didn't know a double gin and tonic also contains two units of alcohol.

The poll found that more than half -- 52 percent -- of adults drink alcohol at least two or three times a week, and one in 10 drinks every day.

The survey was released to coincide with the launch of the government's new 10-million-pound 'Know your Limits' campaign to educate people about how much alcohol is in various different drinks.

The campaign comes amid growing concern about the abuse of alcohol and seeks to encourage people to drink responsibly and know their limits.

Launching the campaign, Britain's Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said: "Glass sizes have grown larger and the strength of many wines and beers has increased, so its no wonder some of us have lost track of our alcohol consumption."

"This campaign is all about helping people understand how many units are in their favourite drinks, and helping them to keep an eye on their intake for the good of their long-term health."

The recommended guidelines for women is no more than two or three units of alcohol a day, and three to four for men.

For drivers, the legal limit for drivers is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, with male drivers advised not to consume more than four units of alcohol immediately before driving. For women, no more than three units is the maximum.

"Excessive alcohol consumption is proven to play a significant role in the development of numerous diseases, including several cancers, heart disease and stroke," Primarolo said. "Thats why this campaign is so important to the nations public health.

A total of 1,972 adults were questioned for the poll.

Know Your Limits

Source-AFP
SPH