Drinkaware brands new alcohol research 'misleading'
New research that claims moderate drinking can bring health benefits is "misleading", according to alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware.
The British Medical Journal research states that people who drink alcohol in moderation are less likely to develop heart disease than those who do not drink at all.
"This isn't the first piece of research to suggest alcohol has a protective effect against heart disease, but to say that moderate drinking is good for health could be misleading for consumers as the term 'moderate' can mean different things to different people," said Drinkaware chief executive Chris Sorek.
"The report suggests an intake of 15g of alcohol a day for a woman, equivalent to 1.88 units — a double gin and tonic, and 30g of alcohol a day for men, equivalent to 3.75 units — just over a pint and a half of 4% beer.
Sorek said educating people about how many units are in specific drinks is the key to help consumers avoid the risks of alcohol.
"Drinkaware advises people not to regularly drink more than the daily unit guidelines of 3-4 units of alcohol for men (equivalent to a pint and a half of 4% beer) and 2-3 units of alcohol for women (equivalent to a 175ml glass of wine)," he added.
