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| Wealthy areas head alcohol table | Wealthy areas head alcohol table |
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| Drinking at levels which are hazardous to health is rife in affluent middle class areas in England, research shows. | Drinking at levels which are hazardous to health is rife in affluent middle class areas in England, research shows. |
| Richer areas dominated the list of areas with the highest proportion of men drinking 22-50 units a week, and women drinking 15-35 units a week. | Richer areas dominated the list of areas with the highest proportion of men drinking 22-50 units a week, and women drinking 15-35 units a week. |
| However, Liverpool John Moores University found the proportion of those who drank to real excess was highest in poorer areas. | However, Liverpool John Moores University found the proportion of those who drank to real excess was highest in poorer areas. |
| Manchester topped this table followed by Liverpool. | Manchester topped this table followed by Liverpool. |
| HAZARDOUS DRINKING HOTSPOTS Runnymede: 26.4Harrogate: 26.4Surrey Heath: 26.0Guildford: 25.5Mid Sussex: 25.5Mole Valley: 25.5Leeds: 25.3Elmbridge: 25.3Waverley: 25.2Woking: 25.0 Percentage of adults aged over 16 regularly drinking between 22 to 50 units/week (men) and 15-35 units/week (women) See map of the hotspots | HAZARDOUS DRINKING HOTSPOTS Runnymede: 26.4Harrogate: 26.4Surrey Heath: 26.0Guildford: 25.5Mid Sussex: 25.5Mole Valley: 25.5Leeds: 25.3Elmbridge: 25.3Waverley: 25.2Woking: 25.0 Percentage of adults aged over 16 regularly drinking between 22 to 50 units/week (men) and 15-35 units/week (women) See map of the hotspots |
| Harmful drinking - when people binge on alcohol - was defined as more than 50 units/week for men, and more than 35 units/week for women. | |
| The study found the proportion of people drinking at this level ranged from 3.2% to 8.8% of the adult population. | The study found the proportion of people drinking at this level ranged from 3.2% to 8.8% of the adult population. |
| The lowest rates were found in more affluent areas, with the wealthy town of Winchester recording the lowest rate of all. | The lowest rates were found in more affluent areas, with the wealthy town of Winchester recording the lowest rate of all. |
| But richer areas fared much worse when it came to hazardous levels of drinking - for instance more than one large glass of wine every evening. | |
| In Runnymede, Surrey, more than one in four of the adult population were defined as drinking in this way. | In Runnymede, Surrey, more than one in four of the adult population were defined as drinking in this way. |
| Headed for hospital | Headed for hospital |
| The team at the university's North West Public Health Observatory have collated and published the alcohol profiles for every local authority in England. | The team at the university's North West Public Health Observatory have collated and published the alcohol profiles for every local authority in England. |
| HARMFUL DRINKING HOTSPOTS Manchester: 8.8Liverpool: 8.1Salford: 7.5Knowsley: 7.4Rochdale: 7.2 Tameside: 7.2Leeds: 7.1Oldham: 7.1City of Kingston upon Hull: 7.1Halton: 7.1 Percentage of adults aged over 16 regularly drinking over 50 units/week (men) and over 35 units/week (women) See map of the hotspots | HARMFUL DRINKING HOTSPOTS Manchester: 8.8Liverpool: 8.1Salford: 7.5Knowsley: 7.4Rochdale: 7.2 Tameside: 7.2Leeds: 7.1Oldham: 7.1City of Kingston upon Hull: 7.1Halton: 7.1 Percentage of adults aged over 16 regularly drinking over 50 units/week (men) and over 35 units/week (women) See map of the hotspots |
| They also include figures for alcohol-related hospital admissions, alcohol-related recorded crimes and death rates from conditions related to alcohol. | They also include figures for alcohol-related hospital admissions, alcohol-related recorded crimes and death rates from conditions related to alcohol. |
| Liverpool had the highest rate per 100,000 for alcohol attributable hospital admissions for men and women, according to the figures. | Liverpool had the highest rate per 100,000 for alcohol attributable hospital admissions for men and women, according to the figures. |
| "In order to stop further increases in alcohol-related deaths and admission to hospital, we must also reverse the tolerance that most communities have built up by simply consuming too much alcohol on a weekly basis," said Professor Mark Bellis, the observatory's director. | "In order to stop further increases in alcohol-related deaths and admission to hospital, we must also reverse the tolerance that most communities have built up by simply consuming too much alcohol on a weekly basis," said Professor Mark Bellis, the observatory's director. |
| Frank Soodeen, of the charity Alcohol Concern, said drinking too much - but not excessively - could damage health over the long-term. | Frank Soodeen, of the charity Alcohol Concern, said drinking too much - but not excessively - could damage health over the long-term. |
| He said: "When you are drinking quite quietly at homes with friends and family it does not seem particularly dangerous, but it does add up." | He said: "When you are drinking quite quietly at homes with friends and family it does not seem particularly dangerous, but it does add up." |
| Dr Carl Gray is medical director at Harrogate District Hospital, which serves an area with one of the highest levels of hazardous drinking in the country. | |
| He said: "There are increased rates of various illness in people who are drinking in this hazardous category. | |
| "The biggest risk to your health is chronic liver disease, followed by heart disease." | |
| Public health minister Dawn Primarolo said the government was working hard to change attitudes. | Public health minister Dawn Primarolo said the government was working hard to change attitudes. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Alcohol is relatively cheap, readily available and up to a point socially acceptable David T, London Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Alcohol is relatively cheap, readily available and up to a point socially acceptable David T, London Send us your comments |
| "We launched a new cross-government alcohol strategy in June, and the Chancellor announced that a new national priority for the NHS will be to reduce the rate of hospital admissions of alcohol-related conditions, as part of the spending review announcement last week. | "We launched a new cross-government alcohol strategy in June, and the Chancellor announced that a new national priority for the NHS will be to reduce the rate of hospital admissions of alcohol-related conditions, as part of the spending review announcement last week. |
| Percentage of adults aged over 16 regularly drinking between 22 to 50 units/week (men) and 15-35 units/week (women) | Percentage of adults aged over 16 regularly drinking between 22 to 50 units/week (men) and 15-35 units/week (women) |
| Return | Return |