Do you know your score?
We're supposed to be keeping an eye on how much we drink, but how many of us really know what a unit of alcohol is?
With so many different drinks and glass sizes, from shots to pints – not to mention bottles – it's easy to get confused about how many units are in your drink.
The idea of counting alcohol units was first introduced in the UK in 1987 to help people keep track of their drinking.
One unit equals 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol, which is around the amount of alcohol the average adult can process in an hour.
This means that within an hour there should be, in theory, little or no alcohol left in the blood of an adult, although this will vary from person to person.
The number of units in a drink is based on the size of the drink, as well as its alcohol strength.
For example, a pint of strong lager contains 3 units of alcohol, whereas the same volume of lower-strength lager has just over 2 units.
Knowing your units will help you stay in control of your drinking.
To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level if you drink most weeks:
- men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis
- spread your drinking over 3 or more days if you regularly drink as much as 14 units a week
- if you want to cut down, try to have several drink-free days each week
14 units is equivalent to 6 pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of lower-strength wine.
For more information on units, click here to visit the NHS website.
To find out about your score, click here to visit the Drinkaware website.
Support services
Realising you have a problem with alcohol is the first big step to getting help.
You may need help if:
- you often feel the need to have a drink
- you get into trouble because of your drinking
- other people warn you about how much you're drinking
- you think your drinking is causing you problems
If you or someone you know has a drug or alcohol problem, we can point you towards friendly advice and support.
You may have decided to quit, or just need to talk to someone.
You can find all the services and information you need through this website, wherever you are in Kent. Our services are free and confidential.