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26% of British men admit to drinking too much – as do 20% of the population as a whole
It’s a real problem facing health services: people underreport how much they drink, preventing the NHS from helping those in need before it gets serious. The problem is so big that a study by UCL last year found that – comparing actual alcohol sales figures to what people say they drink – 19% more men and 26% more women than previously thought could be regularly exceeding their recommended daily limit.
A new YouGov survey finds that, even if people are underestimating their drinking habits, a significant proportion of British people say they drink too much.
Overall, two in ten people (20%) say they drink too much, while 77% say they don’t.
Looking only at men, the figure rises to over a quarter (26%) who admit they drink too much. This compares to just under one in six (16%) women.
Interestingly, young people aged 18-24 are actually least likely to admit to drinking too much (16%) than old people. In contrast 21% of 25-39 year olds, 23% of 40-59 year olds and 19% of those over 60 also admit to doing so. Additionally, 16% of over-60s – the most out of any age group – say they have something to drink every night of the week.
Underreporting doesn’t only happen because people are embarrassed about their drinking habits. Experts suggest that those who mix drinks and drink at different venues may underreport, because we don’t always count some occasions as proper drinking: "We may underestimate drink sizes and their alcoholic content, and not count holidays and special occasions like weddings, birthdays and Christmas when we often drink a great deal more than usual."
Image: Getty
See the full poll results