A new report says almost 20% of adults across England binge drink at least double the daily recommended level in one or more sessions a week. Experts say Britain has gone from a nation ‘enjoying a harmless tipple’ to one developing ‘a dangerous alcohol addiction’.
The biggest binge drinkers live in the North East and North West (23% of adults) compared to those in the South East, South West and East of England (less than 16%).
In Newcastle upon Tyne, Liverpool and Durham, more than 27% of adults said they binge drink, compared to areas such as East Dorset where less than 10% of adults do so.
The research showed drinkers living in the North are far more likely to binge on alcohol, be admitted to hospital and die younger than their southern counterparts.
The Office for National Statistics data revealed alcohol-related deaths in England and Wales rose from 5525 in 2000 to 6544 in 2004 ¯ an 18.4% increase. The highest increase was in Yorkshire and the Humber which saw a 46.5% jump.
The report was published by the Centre for Public Health at Liverpool John Moores University and the North West Public Health Observatory. It is based on figures from 2004 to 2006.
