One drink too many ‘can lead slowly to the grave’

More than a quarter of men (26 per cent) are enjoying one too many – compared to only 18 per cent of women, the study found.

The pattern is increasing with age, with nearly one in three men over 45 (31 per cent) regularly drinking more than they should. By contrast, the highest number of female risky drinkers are aged 16-24 (22 per cent).

Risky drinking is higher among professionals and those with the largest household incomes.

However there was some good news for married people – they are less likely to show mild alcohol dependence than those who are single, separated or co-habiting (5 per cent compared to 12-13 per cent).

The research, called From One to Many, was released today by think-tank 2020health, which called for an increased focus on addressing the problem, saying it could save the NHS £124m with effective interventions costing as little as £15 per patient.

It said evidence shows a 10-minute session with a doctor or nurse to talk through the health risks and ways to cut down can reduce consumption by as much as five units a week.

The think-tank also called for universal alcohol screening at the age of 30 to increase awareness and help catch potential problems before they develop, and more stringent guidance from the Department of Health on the dangers of drinking every day.

Other recommendations include making wine more readily available in half-bottles that can be shared by two people without them going over the limit.

Julie Manning, the organisation’s chief executive, said: “No one would question the need to tackle the UK’s infamous binge drinking culture – and it’s increasingly a policy focus.

“What’s worrying, however, is the way in which we overlook the habits of the silent majority who are slowly drinking themselves to death. A true focus on prevention would provide better support to the eight million risky drinkers across the country and result in considerable cost savings for the NHS.”

Dr Clare Gerada, chairwoman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: “‘Risky drinkers’ are a real concern for GPs. They may not necessarily get drunk or display dependence, and they may not even realise they are drinking dangerously, but they are quietly, slowly, paving the way to serious health problems in the future.

“GPs are not killjoys, but we are here to help. More than any other healthcare professionals we see the long-term damage to individuals and their families caused by this chronic, excessive drinking. I hope this report will help GPs and their patients make informed decisions that will prevent serious ill health in the future.”

Women are considered to be risky drinkers if they have more than one standard (175ml) glass of wine five nights a week, and men if they drink more than two pints of beer on five nights of the week.

The report is published the day after it was revealed children as young as 12 are drinking the equivalent of 19 glasses of wine a week.

A study by the Schools Health Education Unit found that four per cent of the 12- to 13-year-olds surveyed drank 28 or more units of alcohol in the last week.

This exceeds the Government’s daily unit guidelines for men (three to four units) and women (two to three units).

Three units equates to two small glasses of wine or a whole pint of strong lager or cider, according to the charity Drinkaware.

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