London, Nov 2 (IANS) Middle-class people in Britain are drinking so much behind closed doors that they are risking a future of ill -health blighted by cancer, liver disease and even mental health problems, a study has found.
According to the research, millions of people are drinking to harmful levels at home in the evening or over dinner. They are not ‘binge drinking’ or even getting drunk but they are causing huge damage to their bodies and long-term health, Daily Express reported.
As per the major new study of the nation’s drinking habits called — From One to Many — published by think-tank 2020health, those with the highest household income drink the most and have the highest rate of mild dependence on alcohol.
Individuals earning only up to 200 pounds a week consume only 9.9 units, around 10 small glasses of wine or four and a half pints. Those earning over 1,000 pounds a week drink around 14.8 units a week, equivalent to 14 small glasses of wine or seven and a half pints of beer.
People in managerial and professional jobs drink around 26 percent more a week than those in routine and manual worker households – 13.5 units a week compared with 10.7 units.
Julie Manning, chief executive of 2020health, said: ‘No one would question the need to tackle the UK’s infamous binge drinking culture.
‘What’s worrying, however, is the way in which we overlook the habits of the silent majority who are slowly drinking themselves to death.’
