22/01/2008

Men Drink Twice As Much Alcohol As Women

Men are drinking twice as much alcohol as women according to new figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

Men drink an average of 18.7 units a week, compared with 9.0 units for women.

The figures showed men also drank on more days of the week than women. More than one in five men compared with just over one in ten women has drunk at least five of the previous seven days.

The report also shows 22 per cent of people aged 16 years and over smoke. Men smoke an average of 15 cigarettes per day compared to women at 13 a day.

Frank Soodeen, of Alcohol Concern, the national agency on alcohol misuse, said excessive drinking could destroy people's lives.

He said: "These figures show people suffering from alcohol misuse are not a tiny minority and can be one of your colleagues, friends or relatives.

"Alcohol misuse and its attendant problems cut across all ages, backgrounds, classes and genders.

"We know that for many people whose drinking spirals out of control, there can be serious consequences both to their social and physical well-being."

The ONS report on smoking and drinking is based on data from its 2006 General Household Survey of approximately 16,500 households across Britain.

(CD)

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