Emma writes...
Thoughts, resources and comment from the NHD Editor.
Alcohol awareness
Booze, grog, plonk, vino, whatever you call it, alcohol is a part of life and the dietary intake of millions of people across the world. It’s been sipped for thousands of years, with a variety of production methods employed to create a range of alcoholic beverages.[1]
Alcohol has played a significant role in social, religious and economic aspects of many cultures throughout the ages and continues to be a core element in modern society.
It's Alcohol Awareness Week this week (7th-13th July), and while the focus on this week is on drinking at work, her I open the conversation about....
Feeling tipsy?
Ethanol is the alcohol molecule present in alcoholic drinks and it has an impact on the body each time it’s consumed.
Alcohol has a depressant effect, causing chemical changes in the brain which suppress normal activity in the region which controls inhibition. It’s also a toxin with dependance-producing propeties.[2] These toxins need to be broken down by the body in order each time alcohol is consumed.[3]
THE HEALTH IMPACT
There is a risk of acute alcohol poisoning when numerous alcoholic drinks are consumed within a short space of time. Heavy drinking over months and years increases the risks of a range of health problems.[3]
In the UK, it’s estimated that around 10 million people regularly drink alcohol volumes that are harmful to health and well-being.[4] This can have an impact on day-to-day functions, with headaches, hangovers and sleepless nights being common issues. Loss of productivity and increased feelings of anxiety and/or depression can also present as side effects of regularly drinking alcohol.[4]
Whilst alcohol consumption has been found to have a causal role in over 200 health conditions, diseases and injuries, there is a significant risk of developing non-communicable diseases, which include heart disease, liver disease, cancers of the head neck, breast and GI tract, and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.[2]
One too many!
Any alcohol consumption, however great or small, carries risks, with those risks increasing if more alcohol is consumed on a regular basis.
To limit the risks, there are low-risk drinking guidelines in place within the UK, which have been developed by our Chief Medical Officers.[5] The guidelines cover weekly limits, single occasion drinking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
Single occasion drinking refers to binge drinking. Reducing the volume of alcohol on any single occasion is advised, with options such as drinking with food or alternating with water included.[6]
Avoiding alcohol consumption during pregnancy is advised due to the risk of long-term harm to the baby.[6]
Whilst one in five people across the UK report not drinking any alcohol, between 25-32% of men and 9-15% of women regularly drink over the Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk guidelines.[7]
Limiting alcohol consumption
One unit equals 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol, which is around the amount of alcohol the average adult can process in an hour.[8]
To keep health risks from alcohol at a low level, if alcohol is consumed most weeks:[8]
men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units a week regularly;
spread drinking over three or more days if alcoholic drink consumption is as much as 14 units a week;
cut down, aiming for several drink-free days each week - 14 units is equivalent to six pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of lower-strength wine.
A drink's alcohol content is usually expressed by the standard measure alcohol by volume (ABV). ABV is the measure of pure alcohol as a percentage of the total volume of the drink.
Examples of alcohol units include: Single small shot of spirits (25ml, ABV 40%) = 1 unit, Large glass of red/white/rosé wine (250ml, ABV 12%) = 3 units, Bottle of lager/beer/cider (330ml, ABV 5%) = 1.7 units.
Additional advice on reducing alcohol and the benefits of doing so can be accessed via the following links:
Drink less alcohol - Better Health - NHS
Alcohol Awareness Week – 7th-13th July 2025
This year's Alcohol Awareness Week opens up the conversation about work and alcohol, working to help better understand this relationship and how to manage challenges relating to it.
Alcohol plays several roles in our work life and culture. It can be experienced at many points throughout our working lives – as a bonding tool, a reward, part of networking events or work-related celebrations.
There’s also the impact our work has on us as individuals. When work gets stressful, alcohol can be used as a coping mechanism. Need something to calm the nerves, or have you had a bad day? Maybe a drink will help. However, using alcohol to manage stress or anxiety can limit performance and worsen those conditions. This is not exclusive to being an employee at a company or organisation; anyone who volunteers, studies at college or university, or freelances can also be affected in this way.
It even has an impact on those who are moving in and out of work, whether it’s planned or not. Unemployment, retirement, caring, or parental leave can lead to increased consumption of alcohol for a range of reasons.
The aim of Alcohol Awareness Week is to highlight this relationship between alcohol and work, share helpful advice on red flags that can trigger increased drinking due to work, and promote the benefits of creating healthier, safer and more respectful workplace cultures.
All of this has the potential to lead to better physical and mental well-being, greater confidence and productivity, and improved employee motivation and safety.
Emma has been a Registered Dietitian for over 18 years and has experience in adult and paediatric dietetics. She has been the Editor of NHD for nine years, steering the editorial content and supporting the production process.
Emma currently works in industry.
Emma Coates, RD
References
History Co-operative (2024) The birth of booze: Who invented alcohol and how it shaped history? The Birth of Booze: Who Invented Alcohol and How It Shaped History? | History Cooperative
WHO (2024) Alcohol. Alcohol
Drinkaware (2023) What is alcohol? Ingredients, chemicals and manufacture. How Alcohol is Made: Ingredients, Chemicals, and Production | Drinkaware | Drinkaware
Alcohol Change UK (2025) Alcohol awareness week. Alcohol Awareness Week | Alcohol Change UK
DHSC (2016) Guidance - Alcohol consumption: advice on low risk drinking. UK Chief Medical Officers' Low Risk Drinking Guidelines
Drinkaware (2022) UK low risk drinking guidelines. UK low risk drinking guidelines: the Chief Medical Officers' advice | Drinkaware
Alcohol Change UK (2025) Alcohol statistics. Alcohol statistics | Alcohol Change UK
NHS (2024) Alcohol units. Alcohol units - NHS
