Put down the wine… We’re drinking too much!

When you go to the doctor for a check up and they ask how often you drink, what do you say? “Oh only one a night on a Friday or Saturday night” is an answer we all like to give. But, the reality is that Australian over 60s are drinking far too much.

A study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health has found that an alarming number of Australian men and women over 45 are drinking in excess of 14 standard drinks per week… Any more than 14 drinks per week is considered a level of high risk.

There have been studies finding the correlation between alcohol consumption and the instance of cancer, and the results are quite scary. According to Alcohol Think Again, 2997 new cases of cancer and 1376 deaths are directly caused by excessive alcohol consumption each year.

The cancer sites most influenced by alcohol consumption include the head and neck, the liver, the bowel and the female breasts.

Basically, our excessive alcohol consumption poses serious health risks to us, especially as we become more susceptible to cancer as we age.

But, how many drinks is acceptable and how often should we be having alcohol free nights to be “safe”?

While several health practitioners claim that the antioxidants present in specific types of red wine can promote cardiovascular health, the National Heart Foundation says there is no conclusive evidence to support these statements. So, don’t be fooled thinking you’re being healthy by having a nice shiraz with your steak.

In case you’re not sure about how much you should be drinking, here are some Australian guidleines from the Alcohol Think Again foundation.

Firstly, an adult should not consumer any more than two standard drinks per night. And, every adult should aim to have at least three alcohol-free nights per week.

Secondly, most Australians are not aware of an actual standard drink size due to our large serving glasses.

A standard drink according to Australian regulations includes:

– 285 mL of full strength beer

– 425 mL of low strength beer

– 100 mL of wine (red and white)

– 30 mL of spirits

– 275 mL bottle of ready-to-drink beverage (5% alcohol content)

So, make sure you’re making wise choices with your alcohol consumption to stay healthy for longer.

How many drinks do you have a week? How often do you have an alcohol-free night? Tell us in the comments below… 

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.