9 April 2025
Researchers:
This research was commissioned by Alcohol Change UK and delivered by The Behavioural Insights Team. The project lead at the Behavioural Insights Team was Dr Craig Johnson.
This research examined the drinking habits of more than 4,000 UK adults and the wide range of health harms associated with different levels of alcohol consumption.
Results from this research offer a wake-up call, showing that the negative impact of alcohol on the health and wellbeing of the UK population is widespread. Even among those of us drinking less than 14 units of alcohol a week, which the Chief Medical Officers have defined as “low risk”, there are links with reduced daily functioning, lower sleep quality, poorer dental health, and higher prevalence of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Those consuming more than 14 units of alcohol a week, but below the levels associated with alcohol dependency, are experiencing harm at a significant scale, including a higher risk of accidents and injuries.
The report also highlights disparities in alcohol-related harms, with men, and people from lower socioeconomic groups, showing stronger links between health problems and their alcohol consumption.
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