English drinkers pour double at home

New figures have revealed that English people drinking spirits at home are pouring double the amount they would get in a pub if they ordered a single shot.

After a series of experiments carried by the Know Your Limits campaign, figures show the average 'home barman' serves themselves 57ml, which is 32ml more than a standard single 25ml measure when they drink spirits such as vodka, whisky or gin.

Over a week the extra measures equate to 17 units instead of 7.5 units - which the Know Your Limits campaign say is deceptive to people who might wrongly think they are drinking within the NHS recommended limits of 2-3 units a day for women and 3-4 units a day for men.

Public health minister, Gillian Merron, said: "Many of us enjoy a drink. But it's easy to get carried away and it's worrying to see just how much more people might be unwittingly pouring for themselves and their friends at home on a regular basis.

"Over time, such over-generosity may backfire and harm your health. If you want to minimise your risk of diseases like cancer, heart disease and stroke, it's worth paying attention to the size of your measures.

Results found that when people were asked to pour how much they estimated a single 25ml shot to be, the average amount poured was 38ml - over 50% more.

People aged 31 to 50 were found to be the most 'generous', pouring an average of 41ml, whilst men poured considerably more than women, 43ml compared to 32ml.

Women were revealed to be the most lavish pourers of wine serving an equivalent of the recommended daily limit for women in just one glass.

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