72 per cent of Irish adults think binge drinking is part of our culture

A new study has revealed that that 72 per cent of Irish adults believe excessive drinking is “just part of our culture.”

A survey carried out by Drinkaware showed that a massive 45 per cent of people think that consuming alcohol in large amounts is “no big deal”, while just 31 per cent said they would like to drink less.

It seems that a worrying amount of Irish adults are not fully aware of the HSE's guidelines for alcohol which recommend up to 11 standard measures for women and 17 for men per week.

They also recommend that people should aim for at least two alcohol-free days per week.

However, the survey, which examined 1000 adults aged 18 and over, did find that almost two-fifths of people have made efforts to improve their drinking habits, with more than a third saying physical health/ fitness has a strong influence on their decision.

Niamh Gallagher CEO of Drinkaware said: “We are encouraging people to follow the HSE low-risk guidelines which recommends at least two alcohol-free days per week.”

The results of the survey are particularly significant as we head into the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Dr Liam Twomey, chief medical officer at Drinkaware, said: “Bank holiday weekends are a prime time for alcohol misuse and for binge-drinking episodes."

“Even when people aren’t ‘drinking to get drunk’, we see evidence of all-day drinking at parties, BBQs or family gatherings. Even drinking moderately over a long period of time can amount to excessive drinking when calculated over the whole weekend,” he said.

Drinkaware suggest people alternate each drink with water, always use a measure when pouring spirits, never top up a wine glass and always finish one glass before refilling.