Previous research has demonstrated that a sizable proportion of England population drink alcohol at a level associated with a range of health, crime and economic outcomes. Men who regularly drink over 50 units per week (or eight units per day) and women who regularly drink over 35 units per week (or six units per day) are most at risk of developing alcohol-related illness or injuries or being admitted to hospital. Levels of alcohol consumption (and associated harms) have changed over the last decade and so updated estimates are necessary to understand the current situation.
This report presents updated model-based figures (known as synthetic estimates) for the numbers and proportions of abstainers, lower risk (sensible), increasing risk (hazardous) and higher risk (harmful) drinkers for all local authorities in England for 2008 (see Table 1 for definitions of abstainers and different drinking levels). These estimates, commissioned by the Department of Health and produced by the North West Public Health Observatory, replace the harmful and hazardous drinking estimates based upon data for 2000/02.
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