Study Raises Questions About Women & Binge Drinking
When I saw this article in the Telegraph, my first reaction was, really? I can think of lot of guys who fit right into the binge drinking category too.
But before I become totally defensive, it is interesting to note the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, say professional women with advanced educations are twice as likely to be problem drinkers.
The study added that Britain is one of the few countries in the world in which professional women appear to be drinking to keep up with men. They say this pattern is not showing up in other countries.
The researchers say they see women moving into areas like the financial sector and following their habits.
Katherine Brown, Director of the Institute of Alcohol Studies, said the alcohol industry has targeted women with all sorts of sweet fizzy drinks, tie-ins with cosmetics and TV shows to build their market.
Although small amounts of alcohol are linked to health benefits, the report said that overall, alcohol is causing more harm than good. The study says cutting weekly intake by one unit, such as a half pint of beer or a glass of wine could make a difference in reducing the risk of death.
The Mayo Clinic defines moderate alcohol use as one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than 65, and up to two drinks a day for men younger than 65. For older adults moderate use of alcohol may be a benefit if there are risk factors for heart disease. For younger groups there is not any obvious benefit to regular use of alcohol. Healthy diets could work just as well.
Alcohol should be avoided if there is pregnancy, liver or pancreatic disease, stroke conditions, or medications that can interact with alcohol.
As we look at the intensity of our culture and the tendency to use Friday night as a great way to wrap everything up over a glass of wine, I think these habits show up worldwide. Getting together and blowing off steam often helps most people identify with their co-workers and friends and share their thoughts. But moving the party to other spots and switching out to coffeehouses sometimes would probably be a good idea too.
If you feel you are using alcohol as a stress releaser and may need to cut back, see your doctor and get referrals to other groups that help.
