Female binge drinking 'doubled in Britain'

When it comes to binge drinking, the gap between men and women seems to be bridging in Britain. A new study has revealed that binge drinking among women has nearly doubled in the past decade, with one in six female drinkers over the age of 16 consuming more than double the recommended daily amount of alcohol -- three units.

And, according to researchers, women's increased independence and financial security contribute to their rise in consumption of alcohol along with the "pressure of positive advertising". However, men still drink more with 23 per cent of men consuming twice as much as they should -- four units a day maximum, 'The Times' reported.

In fact, between 1998 and 2006 the number of female binge-drinkers almost doubled to 3 million, or 15 per cent of women. The number of men aged 16-24 who drank "binge" amounts has fallen by nearly 10 per cent since 2000.

First Published: May 06, 2009 12:49 IST