Transcript Understanding Alcohol The following pages provide information on: The effects of alcohol Understanding units Recommended drinking limits The calories in alcohol Tips for drinking sensibly Contact details for further information Understanding Alcohol!  In general, people.

Understanding Alcohol
The following pages provide information on:
The
effects of alcohol
Understanding
units
Recommended
drinking limits
The
calories in alcohol
Tips
for drinking sensibly
Contact
details for further information
Understanding Alcohol!

In general, people drink alcohol to relax, celebrate special occasions
or to enhance social gatherings.

Many people drink in moderation and within the recommended limits.

However, others are drinking too much and in the long term this
could be damaging their health and well being.

It is important to understand the impact alcohol can have in order to
make decisions about what and how much you are drinking.
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The short & long terms effects of Alcohol….
....moderate intake can make life enjoyable but over
consumption can be damaging to our health
Vision is blurred,
speech slurred &
inhibitions reduced.
Blackouts.
Cancer of the mouth
& throat.
Liver damage leading
to breakdown,
cirrhosis & cancer.
Increased blood flow
to the skin causing
loss of body heat &
sweating.
Impaired sensation
leading to falls
Aggression, depression,
co-ordination & reactions
impaired.
Puffy eyes, “drinkers’
nose”, looking flushed.
Increased blood pressure,
weakened heart muscle,
blood clotting.
Irritation to stomach &
small intestine leading to
vomiting & diarrhoea.
Stomach ulcers.
Impaired kidney function,
urinary infections.
How much alcohol is in your favourite drink?
….and how is this measured?

The strength of an alcoholic drink will depend on how much pure
alcohol (ethanol) it contains

This information will be shown on the side of a bottle / can as
%ABV (percentage of alcohol by volume)

The higher the %ABV, the stronger the drink!

Drinks are measured in Units to help us keep a track of how much
we are drinking
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Counting units…..
….what makes it all add up?

In Ireland, a unit is 10ml or 8 grams of pure alcohol

The number of units in a drink will depend upon
– the strength of your drink
– how much of it there is

For example:
– A glass of wine at 8% ABV in a 175ml glass = 1.4 units!
– A glass of wine at 13% ABV in a 175ml glass = 2.3 units!
– A glass of wine at 13% ABV in a 250ml glass = 3.25 units!
1.4
Can you tell the difference?
2.3
Working it out for yourself!

Once you know the %ABV of a drink you can work out how many
units you are drinking using this calculation:
quantity of drink (ml) x %ABV
1000


So a 330ml bottle of beer at 5% ABV can be worked out as:
330 x 5 = 1650
1650 / 1000 = 1.65
So the bottle contains 1.65 units of alcohol!
How much alcohol is in standard drinks?
…..sobering thought!
Drink
%ABV
Units
Pint of beer (568ml)
3.5% - 4%
2 – 2.5 units
Bottle of beer
(330ml)
4.5%
1.5 units
Pint of stout (568ml)
4.2%
2 units
Small glass of wine
(125ml)
12.5% - 13%
1.5 units
Spirits (35ml)
37.5% - 40%
1.5 units
Alcopop (275ml)
5% - 5.5%
1.5 units
Recommended drinking limits…..
….a guide to safe and moderate drinking




Medical opinion recommends the following drinking limits
– Men:
less than 21 units per week
– Women: less than 14 units per week
It is important not to drink too much in a single day
– Men should not drink more than 4 units in a day
– Women should not drink more than 3 units in a day
Its is recommended that people DO NOT drink the maximum
amount each day – that would exceed the weekly limit!
Try to spread your drinking out over the week, and allow
yourself at least a couple of alcohol-free days a week
How many calories are in a drink?
…..it’s not called a ‘beer belly’ for nothing!



Alcohol has a high calorie content
It contains 7 calories per gram – almost as many per gram as FAT!
The images below give an approximate idea of the calorie content of
some common drinks:
Pint of
lager/cider
= 200 calories
Bottle of stout
= 105 calories
Spirits
(25ml)
= 50
calories
Red wine 125ml
= 85 calories
White wine
medium (125ml)
= 85 calories
Baileys
(25ml)
= 50
calories
And the calories don’t stop there!
….alcohol increases blood sugar levels, leaving us
feeling hungry!


Unfortunately at the end of the night, food options are limited to
fatty or ‘junk’ food!
130 calories
250 calories
400 calories
260 calories
400 calories
500 calories
Cutting down on alcohol is a great way to cut down on the total
number of calories you consume!
Tips for safer drinking….
….the body can only deal with 1 unit of alcohol per hour
so help it out!


Always eat a meal before you go out drinking
Try not to drink if you are thirsty – quench your thirst with
water or a non-alcoholic drink first

Avoid salty snacks because these will make you thirstier

Try to have a few glasses of water during the night

Consider switching to a lower strength alcoholic drink

Always dilute spirits, but be careful if using fizzy mixers – the
gas in them speeds up the rate at which the alcohol enters
our system!

Pour home drinks wisely – use a measure for spirits!

Allow yourself a couple of alcohol free nights during the week

Try not to exceed the recommended daily drinking limits

Don’t binge drink
If you need more information……
Support & advice for people with drink problems:
Alcoholics Anonymous - Belfast 028 90434848
- Dublin 01 4538998
Further information on health issues:
Health Promotion Agency – Belfast 028 90311611
www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk
Health Promotion Unit
– Dublin 01 6354000
www.healthpromotion.ie