# Are Britons falling out of love with booze?



## Northerner (May 4, 2017)

Britain has always been known as a nation that loves a tipple. But the latest Office for National Statistics lifestyle survey suggests this may be coming to an end.

The 2016 poll of nearly 8,000 Britons found just under 60% had had a drink in the past week - the lowest rate since the survey began in 2005.

Of those who had not had a drink, half were teetotallers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39785742

Best thing I have done for my health in years was to stop drinking alcohol in January 2016, wish I'd done it years earlier!


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## Greyhound Gal (May 4, 2017)

I've been teetotal for 2 years now and don't miss it a bit.  Skin is better, head is better, can't actually think of a negative.


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## Steff (May 4, 2017)

Ive never been in love with it to fall out lol


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## Amigo (May 4, 2017)

I'll drink to that!


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## mikeyB (May 4, 2017)

I don't drink either, just stopped dead when I found out I had pancreatitis. I do miss the flavour of an old malt whisky, but that's about it. But I agree with all the other comments. If I wake up feeling rotten, it's not my fault


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## Amigo (May 4, 2017)

This is the problem with surveys like this;

'One of the problems with the ONS survey is that it is based on people's own recollections - and it is well known that we are terrible for underestimating our drinking.'

How many people tell their GP how much they really drink, smoke or eat? We are all saints under scrutiny!


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## mikeyB (May 4, 2017)

You can't underestimate your drinking if you're teetotal, though. But you're right, folk never tell the truth, not just about booze, but food as well.


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## Ditto (May 4, 2017)

Mum was always a 'proper' drinker, but stopped dead when put on Warfarin. I never thought I'd see my mother teetotal! She comes from a family of drinkers but it's skipped me and my sisters, we wouldn't thank you for a drink. I hates being sober when peoples are drunk. Horrible.


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## Ingressus (May 5, 2017)

Ditto said:


> Mum was always a 'proper' drinker, but stopped dead when put on Warfarin. I never thought I'd see my mother teetotal! She comes from a family of drinkers but it's skipped me and my sisters, we wouldn't thank you for a drink. I hates being sober when peoples are drunk. Horrible.



I hate being drunk when people are sober loll.


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## Abi (May 5, 2017)

*Are Britons falling out of love with booze?*

*Certainly not*


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## Martin Canty (May 5, 2017)

A whole lot of Pubs in my home-town have closed since I left......


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## Amigo (May 5, 2017)

If they're falling out of love with booze where I've been tonight they're hiding it well!


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## zuludog (May 8, 2017)

Definition of a heavy drinker

Someone who drinks more than their doctor


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## Wirrallass (May 8, 2017)

I'm the same as @Steff  - never touch the stuff  - apart from an occasional glass of white diluted with diet lemonade to celebrate a birthday, Christmas & new year - oh, and on my first Diaversary last month 
WL


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## mikeyB (May 8, 2017)

zuludog said:


> Definition of a heavy drinker
> 
> Someone who drinks more than their doctor


That would make all of my patients alcoholics then, if I were still working. I don't drink at all.


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## RobK (May 8, 2017)

Don't think I will ever fall out of love with my beer but then again I have German and well as British blood so that's probably the reason


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## mikeyB (May 8, 2017)

Recent figures show that for alcohol related hospital admissions, the biggest rise is in the above 45 year olds, and that rise is even steeper in the 60+ age group. The rate is declining in younger people. 

That's the Daily Fail  and Telegraph demographic, the bottle of wine between two and a wee dram or two before bed. And that's not counting the beer with lunch. Every day.


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## mikeyB (May 8, 2017)

Sorry if my last post has rattled any cages. Doesn't make it any less true, though.


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## Chris Hobson (May 9, 2017)

I like a few beers now and then but I have been on the wagon since December as I'm training for a triathlon and prefer to do my exercise early in the morning. Even mild hangovers don't really help. My biggest event is on July 23rd, I'll have a few bottles stashed in the fridge for the 24th, either to celebrate or to drown my sorrows if I fail to finish. Then I'll have to get my head down for the Hull Marathon in September, I'm hoping to crack four hours this time.

I don't suppose that this news will convince the government to defund prodnosed fake charity Alcohol Concern.


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## RobK (May 9, 2017)

Chris Hobson said:


> I like a few beers now and then but I have been on the wagon since December as I'm training for a triathlon and prefer to do my exercise early in the morning. Even mild hangovers don't really help. My biggest event is on July 23rd, I'll have a few bottles stashed in the fridge for the 24th, either to celebrate or to drown my sorrows if I fail to finish. Then I'll have to get my head down for the Hull Marathon in September, I'm hoping to crack four hours this time.
> 
> I don't suppose that this news will convince the government to defund prodnosed fake charity Alcohol Concern.



Hope you achieve your goals Chris and keep those bottles cold


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## zuludog (May 29, 2017)

Several years ago my doctor asked me to go through a lfestyle survey 'the latest idea from head office'

When it came to booze i said (truthfully!) that I would have 2 to 4 pints of bitter when I went to the pub, which was usually only one night a week; and a bottle of wine over the weekend

'Oh, that's alright', he said; 'I'm talking about proper drinking, not the namby pamby levels the department sets!'


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## Bill Stewardson (May 30, 2017)

The whole idea of a few beers down the pub has been killed off by price.
Too many pubs went in the wrong direction by phasing out darts teams, fishing sections, Sunday morning footy teams etc.
All they are about now is getting as much money as possible for the least amount of beer, how small can a bottle of beer get ?
Truth is, drinking at home is massive, along with all the problems that go with it.
Sit in A&E during the small hours on a weekend and you will see.


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## mikeyB (Jun 2, 2017)

Aye, but as I said before, A&E gives you a false picture of the real problem. That's the over forty fives, and even worse, the over 60s who form the bulk of alcohol related hospital admissions. That's the liver problems and acute pancreatitis patients from drinking wine at home with meals after a G&T or two to start. Every night. Drip, drip, drip, yellow, dead.


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