To think 87.3% of British women don't drink less than me?

[theduchessstill]

I went on one of those sites where they track and evaluate your drinking - was inspired to do so by another thread. I know I drink a bit too much - across three nights I have a bottle of wine and often a couple of bottles of lager or another glass or 2 of wine.

The site calculated it as 16 units - I knew it would be there or thereabouts so no great shock there, but then said that 87.3% of British women drink less. I find that hard to believe. Who is buying all the wine then? There are people who are alcoholics, people who drink small - medium amounts every night, people who have a massive blow-out every week etc etc.

Surely we don't have a massive problem with alcohol in this country (and we do) if the vast majority of women drink less than me, who drinks slightly over the maximum amount recommended. In particular, I understood women's drinking was of particular concern.

I'm not looking for validation - I know the amount I have is a bit too much but I'm happy enough with it atm, but that figure seemed unlikely to me.

It always strikes me how very disapproving Mumsnet users are of drinking

I think it's because the non drinkers are the ones who post on drinking threads. There seems to be some bizarre enjoyment in competitively stating 'I have a half a lager once a month' when it is often irrelevant to the thread. Quite possibly they have a big bag of Flumps in their other hand and it makes them feel better. I think people who like a couple of glasses of wine a few times a week just can't be bothered with being told they are alcoholics or being asked 'why do you feel the need to so much'? so don't post on them.

It's true OP, most people do not drink regularly. Historically they havent been able to afford it (certanly not women). Drinking with dinner was the preserve of the professional classes. The cost of alcohol has fallen massively in recent years and now far more people can afford to drink more often. It can be seen as aspirational also.

I thought everyone lied on these quizzes and to their doctors.

I've just filled in a health form and stated I used to smoke 10 fags a day when for most of my smoking life it would have been 15 at least. And this was a pension pay out form (I should have said 60 a day, might have got more money).

I think that we like to have a better image of ourselves than is true in life. So lie about stuff like this. So many people are big boned, when really they are a bit too fat (or a bit fatter than they wish).

Could well be, increasingly. It has the kind of peculiar joylessness and lack of proportionality about it that comes with the kind of person who claims to actually enjoy wheatgrass smoothies and gyms.

To which the answer has to be "Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?"

I always post critically on drinking threads because I would really like to not want to drink (and I do, regularly) but my DF was an alcoholic and I know what it's like to have a DP whd drinks. Most (or it seems most) on MN have DCs.

Your choice Holly, personally I like waking with a clear head far more than any beer buzz and find the 3:30pm wine drinking mummies tedious in the extreme.

I'm not judgy about other people drinking, I don't care

I don't drink

Before I was diagnosed with epilepsy I was the classic binge drinker - I'd be the weekend warrior and drink my entire week's allowance in one big night out

But I never really drank otherwise. Never had a glass of wine of an evening when I'd get home from work. It just annoyed me - I wouldn't be completely sober, but wouldn't have the fun (or indeed the hangover) of being pissed. So unless I was going out, I just wouldn't drink

So now I don't drink at all I don't really miss it. Except at a work night out when everyone is getting hammered and I can't join in!

I guess I'm in the twelve percent. I drink maybe a glass of wine every few months.

I am both big boned and fat, have a drink in one hand and Flumps in the other.

We all think we are normal because we hang out with people who behave similarly. You tend to go out drinking with mates who drink. Then there are those of us who don't open a bottle of wine at home because the rest of it will go off.

I get drunk maybe once a year, max, due to circumstances/lifestyle. The rest of the time it's an occasional pint with a meal. If I drink at home I fall asleep... Getting old now.

But this is it still wish the 3.30pm mummies will have a perfectly clear head the next morning unless you are suggesting that they continue into the evening.

And that's the odd thing. Drunks are boring, getting drunk is horrible, hangovers are vile but a glass or two of wine is lovely. If you don't enjoy it, then fine but you probably enjoy things I don't.

I drink about 2-4 units a week More on holiday or xmas but some weeks rarely drink at all.

I couldn't care less about what drinking goes on outside of my house. I'd say I have averaged a glass of wine a week over the last few years, but don't drink now. Dh didn't drink at all for a few years but has a few beers over the week now.

During the week I don't drink unless I'm going out - let's say an average of 2.5 units to take into account both scenarios . Over Fri-Sun I probably drink on average a bottle of wine (10 units), and maybe the odd weak G&T.

So probably about 15 units a week on average. That's more than I drink on a typical week, but less than I drink in a week where I go out on a weeknight and then have some sort of do at the weekend too...

I filled in the questionnaire saying that I drink 1 glass wine per week (2.3 units on their calc). It told me that 55% of women drink less than me.

Also told me that drinking less would make a big difference to me.

www.drinkaware.co.uk/little-less/

Surely the data is based on the people who have filled out the survey - and who knows how honest they've been? You don't sound like you drink a huge amount to me OP - certainly not more than most of the people I know - and aside from a couple of recovering alcoholics I'd say almost all the adults I know drink alcohol. I'd take it with a pinch of salt. Most people minimise how much they drink.

Also told me that drinking less would make a big difference to me.

you are ruining your life and that of those around you...!

Itsnot prevalence, it's mortality.
you take my point surely that sing record level data behind stats is unrealistic. On the whole theyre not available for very good reasons.

Gosh - lots of non/very little drinkers on here. But, yes, I should have known that would happen as it always does on drinking threads. I was just so shocked by that statistic I had to post (alone and no one real to share it with).

Some people have assumed I drink on the other 4 nights as well - goodness knows why as I clearly said it's 16 units a weeks and it wouldn't be if I drank as well on the other nights. I don't drink Mon-Thurs.

I also don't see how I could be underestimating. I only buy one bottle of wine and the beer/mini I also buy. I'm not pouring out spirits or 'forgetting' pub drinks as well. I know exactly what I drink. Maybe they don't get their stats from their own site as that would probably skew them the other way as they must get mainly heavyish drinkers concerned about their drinking on there, so if they get them from GPs etc it will be skewed by people underestimating.

I am very aware of how strong wine has got and don't buy the very strong ones. I picked one up last week that was 14.5%, which is ridiculous imo. I stick to no more than 12.5% most of the time.

Definitely agree with the age/dc thing. I never drank all that much in my teens/20s, but when I had dc1 ended up sharing a bottle with (then) dh every night. The sight of our recycling used to turn my stomach. Can't imagine ever going back to that, or how we ever afforded it. Also, as a teacher, I used to see every holiday as time for weekend drinking. Obviously, with 13 weeks holiday a year that wasn't a good plan, so have knocked that on the head too.

You are not going to get a clear idea of where the alcohol goes by posting here OP. I drink 220ml of beer 4 evenings out of seven but I am 54. Between 23 and 26 I wasn't sober at any point and I would rather have chewed my own hands off than logged on to a parenting website

"Also told me that drinking less would make a big difference to me"

You'd be floating like an angel and pooping rainbows.

I buy and drink a bottle of wine maybe every 2 months.
I probably go out and have a heavy night drinking about twice a year
I then might have another 6 occasions over the year where I have a glass or two of wine e.g. Pub garden while the kids play, lunch out with family etc.

That drink aware survey is a bit crap, the first question:

"how often do you have a drink containing alcohol?" Never/monthly/2-4 times a month/2-4 times a week/4 or more times a week

...does this mean each separate alcoholic drink you have, or each occasion on which you drink one or more alcoholic drinks?

If I have a G+T when I get in on a Friday night, and then a couple of glasses of wine with dinner, is this counted as one time a week, 2 times a week or 3 times a week?

The drinkaware calculator is weird, I have 1 glass of wine a week max, it says 52% of women drink less than me. I don't know anyone who drinks less than me IRL

I don't drink often. I never really got into the habit of having a drink at home or while making tea. My parents don't so it just wasn't on my radar.

Occasionally I have a glass of wine on a Friday or Saturday night. One glass and I am normally pretty tired so it makes me sleeper. It doesn't seem worth it to have any more.

I go out rarely. Every couple of months? I was out a month ago and had two of those mini bottles of wine. The idea of a hangover put me off more.

When staying with my SIL I will have a few glasses most evenings we are there.

That's it. It just isn't part of my normal day or week.