Sophia Network

Binge drinking among women is on the rise

Binge drinking among women has almost doubled according to research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, from 8% of women in 1998  to 15% in 2006. Over the same period binge drinking among men increased only slightly, from 22% to 23%. Binge drinking is defined as consuming twice the government's safe limit of alcohol at least one day a week. And as that's only two to three units for a woman, and three to four for a man, that's not that hard to do.

It's thought that women's drinking has increased because we tend to prefer wine to beer, while the influence of advertising and women's increased financial independence are also seen as contributing factors. The average consumption of women aged 16 to 24 is now 10.8 units a week, up from 7.3 in 1992, while women over 65 drink almost twice as much as they used to over the same period - 5.1 units a week compared to 2.7. Apparently young adults of both sexes are drinking less, with young men's binge drinking falling from 39% in 1998 to 30% in 2006.

Women need to be aware of the ways in which alcohol affects female bodies, according to health campaigners. Chris Sorek, chief executive of Drinkaware, says, 'Even in small amounts, alcohol affects women differently to men - studies suggest women are more prone to liver disease after a comparatively shorter period of heavy drinking. Alcohol can also affect women's chances of conceiving a child and can lead to an increased risk of breast cancer.' We have been warned. Having celebrated some female firsts yesterday, this is a timely reminder to put the brakes on other aspects of women's experience.

Boozy women

The number of women arrested for being drunk and disorderly has risen by more than 50 per cent in the last five years, police are reporting. The chief executive of Alcohol Concern, Don Shenker, has said, 'There's no doubt that the number of women binge-drinking has gone up - they are following the example of young men. The trouble is that women's bodies cannot handle these large amounts of alcohol.' Discounted drinks, two-for-one offers and supermarket deals are thought to be among the contributing factors. Excess drinking leads to higher incidences of unsafe sex, but because women's bodies are affected differently by alcohol than men's it can also increase the risk of some cancers, digestive problems, strokes and coronary heart disease. More on the Alcohol Concern site.