Confusion over units of alcohol

Few people know what the recommended drinking limits are and even fewer understand what constitutes a unit of alcohol, according to the charity Drinkaware.

"No-one has much idea how a unit of alcohol relates to the glass of wine they pour themselves or the gin and tonic or the glass of beer," said its chairman Derek Lewis.

"A lot of couples don't realise if they are sharing a bottle of wine between them then it takes them into the area where if they did it consistently it's putting their health at risk."

He said the wine glasses people use at home may also hold more than they realise.

"People are often surprised that it will take a third of a bottle of wine. That's three units. Just one of these big glasses will take you to your limit if you are a woman."

He said measures of spirits poured at home can also be far larger than the standard 25ml pub measure which equals one unit.

"Particularly when you have friends round, you don't want to appear stingy. It's people's better nature."

He said around four out of five people (81%) did not know what the alcohol limit guidelines were or what was classed as a unit.

Drinkaware recently created plastic measuring cups to help people understand what a standard spirit measure or glass of wine looks like. The plastic cups were given out in Scotland and the charity hopes to have more made and distributed.