If opening a bottle of wine at night always seems to magically disappear, there may be a reason.
When a glass of wine is in front of them, many people underestimate how much wine is actually in it, new research suggests.
This may explain why measures at home often outweigh those in bars and restaurants and why people so often indulge in Christmas celebrations.
According to a study by Direct Line Motor Insurance, nearly three-quarters of adults underestimate the amount of wine in an 8-ounce glass.
How many units are in these two glasses? For wine only 15 percent were correct, for gin 23 percent knew the answer. SCROLL DOWN FOR ANSWERS
When shown the large jar, which contained a third of a bottle, 70 percent believed it was a medium or small jar.
When looking at a shot of gin in a glass, only 22 percent correctly recognized a double measure.
About 59 percent of respondents believe that the double action is just a single action.
Responding to the survey of 2,000 people, Alcohol Change UK’s Andrew Misell said: “We’ve seen a big shift in drinking habits in recent years, with more and more of us drinking at home.
“However, as this study has shown, many people are unsure of the size of the drinks they pour themselves and often underestimate how much they drink.
This can lead them to drink more than they intended without realizing it.
“If you drink at home, it’s smart to get into the habit of checking the units in your drinks, keep a running count and stay under 14 units a week.”
DrinkAware, the national charity working to prevent alcohol abuse, advises people to “take the guesswork out of pouring” by buying an alcohol measuring cup or using a regular kitchen scale.
Earlier this year, Professor Julia Sinclair, chair of the Addiction Unit at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, warned that millions of Britons were doing “silent harm” to themselves by drinking too much.
People drink at home, don’t keep track of how much they consume, and encourage each other to drink more, she said.
Direct Line’s new study found that almost 40 per cent of drinkers never control how much alcohol they pour at home.
Only 15 percent correctly recognized that a large glass of wine contains 3.2 units of alcohol, almost a third had doubts and the rest chose 2.4 or 2.8 units.
The NHS recommends that men and women drink no more than 14 units a week on a regular basis.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge previously found that people could be encouraged to drink less wine at home by using 50cl bottles instead of the standard 70cl size.
Commenting on the new research, Professor Dame Theresa Marteau, Director of the Department of Behavior and Health Research at the University of Cambridge, said: “We know that the size of wine glasses has almost doubled since the 1990s.
“One of the most effective ways to counter our well-known inability to judge portion sizes of drinks and food is to use smaller glasses and plates.”
Dr Emily Finch, Chair of the Faculty of Addiction at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “During the pandemic we have seen an increase in alcohol consumption – some people who never drank except when going out often started drinking at home . longer and without knowing how much they used.
“Some of them will have started drinking at a problematic level.
“It is worrying that people are not only trying to break the home drinking habits created during the pandemic, but that they are now facing an existential crisis which in turn could pose potential risks for increased drinking at home.”
ANSWER. Wine: 3.2 units, gin: 1.8 units.
DO YOU DRINK TOO MUCH ALCOHOL? THE 10 QUESTIONS THAT DISCOVER YOUR RISK
A screening tool commonly used by medical professionals is the OUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tests). The 10-item test, developed in partnership with the World Health Organization, is considered the gold standard for determining whether someone is abusing alcohol.
The test is reproduced here with permission from the WHO.
To complete it, answer each question and record the corresponding score.
YOUR RESULT:
0-7: You are within the limits of reasonable drinking and are at low risk for alcohol-related problems.
More than 8: Point out harmful or dangerous drinking.
8-15: Medium risk level. If you drink at your current level, you risk problems with your health and life in general, such as: B. Work and relationships. Consider reducing it (see below for tips).
16-19: Higher risk for complications from alcohol. At this level it can be difficult to reduce on your own as you may be dependent and may need professional help from your GP and/or a counsellor.
20 and over: Possible dependency. Your drinking is already causing problems and you may well become addicted. You should definitely consider phasing out, or at least drinking less. You should seek professional help to determine your addiction and the safest way to stop drinking.
Severe addiction may require medically assisted cessation or detoxification in a hospital or specialty clinic. This is because of the potential for severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms within the first 48 hours, which require specialist attention.
Source link
Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
