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Standard drink

A standard drink or (in the UK) unit of alcohol is a measure of alcohol consumption representing a fixed amount of pure alcohol. The notion is used in relation to recommendations about alcohol consumption and its relative risks to health. It helps to educate alcohol users.[1] A hypothetical alcoholic beverage sized to one standard drink varies in volume depending on the alcohol concentration of the beverage (for example, a standard drink of spirits takes up much less space than a standard drink of beer), but it always contains the same amount of alcohol and therefore produces the same amount of drunkenness.[1] Many government health guidelines specify low to high risk amounts in units of grams of pure alcohol per day, week, or single occasion. These government guidelines often illustrate these amounts as standard drinks of various beverages, with their serving sizes indicated. Although used for the same purpose, the definition of a standard drink varies from country to country.

United States standard drinks of beer, malt liquor, wine, and spirits compared. Each contains about 14 grams or 17.7 ml of ethanol.

Labeling beverages with the equivalent number of standard drinks is common in some countries.

Definitions in various countries edit

There is no international consensus on how much pure alcohol is contained in a standard drink;[2] values in different countries range from 8g to 20g. The example questionnaire form for the World Health Organization's Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) uses 10g,[3] and this definition has been adopted by more countries than any other amount.[4] Some countries choose to base the definition on mass of alcohol (in grams) while others base the unit on the volume (in mL or other volume units).[1] For comparison, both measurements are shown here, as well as the number of standard drinks contained in 500 mL of 5% ABV beer (16.9 US fl oz, a typical large size of beer in Europe, slightly larger than a US pint of 473ml). The terminology for the unit also varies, as shown in the Notes column.

Country Mass (g) Volume (mL) # drinks in 500 mL of 5% ABV beer Notes
Albania[5] 10 12.7 2.0
Albania[5] 14 17.7 1.4
Australia[4][6] 10 12.7 2.0
Austria[4][5] 20 25.3 1.0
Benin[5] 14 17.7 1.4
Bosnia and Herzegovina[5] 10 12.7 2.0
Canada[4][7][8] 13.6 or 13.45 [9] or 13.5[10] 17.2 or 17 [9] 1.5 This specific unit is computed based on the oz definition as:
  • 12 oz (341 ml) bottle of 5% alcohol beer, cider or cooler
  • 1.5 oz (43 ml) shot of 40% hard liquor (vodka, rum, whisky, gin etc.)
  • 5 oz (142 ml) glass of 12% wine.[11]
Costa Rica[5] 8 10 2.5
Croatia[5] 10 12.7 2.0
Denmark[4][5] 12 15.2 1.6
Estonia[5] 10 12.7 2.0
Fiji[5] 10 12.7 2.0
Finland[12] 12 15.2 1.6
France[4] 10 12.7 2.0
Georgia[5] 10 12.7 2.0
Germany[4][13] 11 13.8 1.8 Standardglas defined as containing 10–12 g (central value used here)
Guyana[5] 8 10 2.5
Hong Kong[14] 10 12.7 2.0
Hungary 17 21.5 1.2
Iceland[4][15] 8 10 2.5 áfengiseining defined as 8 g but treated as equivalent to 10 mL
Ireland[4][16] 10 12.7 2.0
Italy[4] 12 15.2 1.6 unità standard defined as 12 g
Japan[3][17] 19.75 25 1.0 "unit (tan'i)". MHLW's conventional unit, based on 1 gō (unit)(approx. 180 mL) of sake. Not any "standard".
Japan[17] 10 12.7 2.0 "drink (dorinku)". Introduced around 2011 to align with the WHO AUDIT, and to avoid the conventional unit (20 g) of giving a false impression of "minimum amount to drink".[18] Sometimes also called "unit (tan'i)".[19] Has no implication of being any "standard".
Korea, Republic of[5] 8 10 2.5
Latvia[5] 12 15.2 1.6
Luxembourg[5] 10-12 12.7-15.2 1.6-2.0
Malta[5] 8 10 2.5
Mexico[5] 10-13 12.7-16.5 1.5-2.0
Namibia[5] 10 12.7 2.0
Netherlands[5] 10 12.7 2.0
New Zealand[4][20][21] 10 12.7 2.0
North Macedonia[5] 14.2 18 1.4
Norway 12.8 15 1.7
Philippines[5] 12 15.2 1.6
Poland[4] 10 12.7 2.0
Portugal[4] 11 13.8 1.8 10–12 g (central value used here)
Russia[5] 10 12.7 2.0
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines[5] 14 17.7 1.4
Seychelles[5] 8 10 2.5
Singapore[5] 10 12.7 2.0
Slovenia[5] 10 12.7 2.0
Spain[4] 10 12.7 2.0
Sweden[22] 12 15.2 1.6 standardglas corresponds to 33 cl 5% beer, 13 cl wine, or a drink or shot based on 4 cl 40% liquor
Switzerland[4] 12 15.2 1.6
Taiwan (ROC)[5] 10 12.7 2.0
Ukraine[5] 10 12.7 2.0
United Kingdom[4][23][24] 8 10 2.5 unit of alcohol[a] defined as 10 mL but treated as equivalent to 8 g.[26]
United States[27][4][28] 14 17.7 1.4 standard drink defined as 0.6 fl oz (US), approximately 14 g
Uruguay[5] 10 12.7 2.0

Calculation of pure alcohol mass in a serving edit

 
Chart showing alcohol unit count for drink size and ABV

In the UK, it is sometimes misleadingly stated that there is one unit per half-pint of beer, or small glass of wine, or single measure of spirits. However, such statements do not take into account the various strengths and volumes supplied in practice.[29][30] Such approximations can lead to people underestimating their alcohol intake.[30] In some countries, the number of units of alcohol in a beverage can instead be read directly on the label.[31]

In countries without labeling, it is possible to calculate the pure alcohol mass in a serving from the concentration, density of alcohol, and volume:

 

For example, a 350 ml glass of beer with an ABV of 5.5% contains 19.25 ml of pure alcohol, which has a density of 0.78945 g/mL (at 20 °C),[32] and therefore a mass of 15.20 grams.

 
or
 

The standard UK units of alcohol in a drink can be determined by multiplying the volume of the drink (in millilitres) by its percentage ABV, and dividing by 1000. For example, one imperial pint (568 ml) of beer at 4% alcohol by volume (ABV) contains:

 

The formula uses ml ÷ 1000. This results in exactly one unit per percentage point per litre, of any alcoholic beverage.

The formula can be simplified for everyday use by expressing the serving size in centilitres and the alcohol content literally as a percentage:

 

Thus, a 750 ml bottle of wine at 12% ABV contains 75 cl × 12% = 9 units. Alternatively, the serving size in litres multiplied by the alcohol content as a number, the above example giving 0.75 × 12 = 9 units:

 

In the UK, both pieces of input data are usually mentioned in this form on the bottle, so are easy to retrieve.

When drink size is in fluid ounces (which differ between the UK and the US), the following conversions can be used:

Country Volume of fl. oz. (mL) Mass of fl. oz. of alcohol (g)
UK 28.41 22.43
US 29.57 23.34

One should bear in mind that a pint in the UK is 20 imperial fluid ounces, whereas a pint in the US is 16 US fluid ounces. However, as 1 imperial fl. oz. ≈ 0.961 US fl. oz., this means 1 imperial pint ≈ 1.201 US pints (i.e. 0.961 × 20/16) instead of 1.25 US pints.

Reference standard drinks edit

A standard drink is often different from a normal serving in the country in which it is served.[33] For example, in the United States, a standard drink is defined as 0.6 US fluid ounce of ethanol per serving, which is about 14 grams of alcohol.[27][34][32] This corresponds to a 12-US-fluid-ounce (350 mL) can of 5% beer, a 5-US-fluid-ounce (150 mL) glass of 12% ABV (alcohol by volume) wine, or a 1.5-US-fluid-ounce (44 mL) so-called "shot" of spirit,[27] assuming that beer is 5% ABV, wine is 12% ABV, and spirits is 40% ABV (80 proof). Most wine today is higher than 12% ABV (the average ABV in Napa Valley in 1971 was 12.5% [35]), hence will be more than a standard drink. Similarly, although 40% ABV is standard for spirits, the amount of spirit in a mixed drink varies widely.

Beers edit

  • Half an imperial pint (284 ml) of beer with 3.5% ABV contains almost exactly one UK unit; however, most beers are stronger. In pubs in the United Kingdom, beers generally range from 3.5 to 5.5% ABV, and continental lagers start at around 4% ABV. An imperial pint of such lager (e.g., 568 ml at 5.2%) contains almost 3 units of alcohol[36] rather than the oft-quoted 2 units.
  • Stronger beer (6–12%) may contain 2 units or more per half pint (imperial).
  • A half-litre (500 ml) of standard lager or ale (5%) contains 2.5 units.
  • One litre (1000 ml) of typical Oktoberfest beer (5.5–6%) contains 5.5–6 units of alcohol.
  • A beer bottle is typically 333-355ml, approximately 1.7 units at 5%.
  • 375 ml can of light beer (2.7% alcohol) = 0.8 Australian standard drinks
  • 375 ml can of mid-strength beer (3.5% alcohol) = 1 Australian standard drink
  • 375 ml can of full strength beer (4.8% alcohol) = 1.4 Australian standard drinks
  • 355 ml can (12 fl oz) of 5% ABV beer = 1 US standard drink

Wines edit

 
A large (250 ml) glass of 12% ABV red wine has about three UK units of alcohol. A medium (175 ml) glass has about two UK units.
  • A "medium" glass (175 ml) of 12% ABV wine contains around 2.1 units of alcohol. However, British pubs and restaurants often supply larger quantities (large glass ≈ 250 ml), which contain 3 units. Red wines often have a higher alcohol content (on average 12.5%, sometimes up to 16%). Even though the sizes of wine glasses are defined in UK law, the terms large, medium, standard, etc. are not defined in law.
  • Wine sold by the glass is often served in nearly full glasses. Wine served at home, or when bought by the bottle in, say, a restaurant, is usually served in glasses less than half filled; the capacity of a wine glass is not the only criterion for judging quantity.
  • A 750 ml bottle of 12% ABV wine contains 9 units; 16% ABV wine contains 12 units; a fortified wine such as port at 20% ABV contains 15 units.
  • 100 ml glass of wine (13.5% alcohol) = 1 Australian standard drink
  • 150 ml glass of wine (13.5% alcohol) = 1.5 Australian standard drinks
  • One 5 fl oz glass of 12% ABV table wine, or 148ml, is one US standard drink.

Fortified wines edit

  • A small glass (50 ml) of sherry, fortified wine, or cream liqueur (≈20% ABV) contains about one unit.

Spirits edit

Most spirits sold in the United Kingdom have 35%-40% ABV. In England, a single pub measure (25 ml) of a spirit contains one unit. However, a larger 35 ml measure is increasingly used (and in particular is standard in Northern Ireland[37]), which contains 1.4 units of alcohol at 40% ABV. Sellers of spirits by the glass must state the capacity of their standard measure in ml.

In Australia, a 30 ml shot of spirits (40% ABV) is 0.95 standard drinks.

In the US, one shot of 80 proof liquor is 1.5 fl oz or 44ml, and one US standard drink.

Mixed spirits and alcopops edit

  • 440 ml can of pre-mix spirits (approx. 5% alcohol) = 1.7 Australian standard drinks
  • 440 ml can pre-mix spirits (approx. 7% alcohol) = 2.4 Australian standard drinks
  • According to Alcohol and You Northern Ireland resource website, "Most alcopops contain 1.1–1.5 units per bottle. For example, a normal 275 ml bottle of WKD contains 1.1 units, whereas Bacardi Breezer and Smirnoff Ice both contain 1.5 units of alcohol."[38]

Recommended maximum edit

From 1992 to 1995, the UK government advised that men should drink no more than 21 units per week, and women no more than 14.[39] (The difference between the sexes was due to the typically lower weight and water-to-body-mass ratio of women).[40] The Times claimed in October 2007 that these limits had been "plucked out of the air" and had no scientific basis.[41]

This was changed after a government study showed that many people were in effect "saving up" their units and using them at the end of the week,[42][43] a form of binge drinking. Since 1995 the advice was that regular consumption of 3–4 units a day for men, or 2–3 units a day for women, would not pose significant health risks, but that consistently drinking four or more units a day (men), or three or more units a day (women), is not advisable.[44]

An international study[45] of about 6,000 men and 11,000 women for a total of 75,000 person-years found that people who reported that they drank more than a threshold value of 2 units of alcohol a day had a higher risk of fractures than non-drinkers. For example, those who drank over 3 units a day had nearly twice the risk of a hip fracture.

Relation to blood alcohol content edit

As a rough guide, it takes about one hour for the body to metabolise (break down) one UK unit of alcohol, 10 ml (8 grams). However, this will vary with body weight, sex, age, personal metabolic rate, recent food intake, the type and strength of the alcohol, and medications taken. Alcohol may be metabolised more slowly if liver function is impaired.[24] For other countries, it may be easiest to convert to UK units. For example, in the United States one standard drink contains 14 grams ≈ 1.75 units of alcohol, and so a US standard drink takes the body about an hour and three-quarters to process. Blood alcohol content can more accurately be estimated by using Widmark's formula.[46]

Labeling edit

 
Example of Wine Bottle label in accordance with UK voluntary health labelling scheme

Australia introduced standard drink labelling in the 1990's,[47] and New Zealand followed with a labelling requirement starting in 2002.[48] The labels were criticized for being too small to read. A focus group study found that most student drinkers used the labels to choose stronger drinks and identify the cheapest method of getting drunk, rather than to drink safely.[47]

In the UK in March 2011, alcohol companies voluntarily pledged to the UK Department of Health to implement a health labelling scheme to provide more information about responsible drinking on alcohol labels and containers. The pledge stated:[49]

"We will ensure that over 80% of products on shelf (by December 2013) will have labels with clear unit content, NHS guidelines and a warning about drinking when pregnant."

At the end of 2014, 101 companies had committed to the pledge labelling scheme.[49]

There are five elements included within the overall labelling scheme, the first three being mandatory, and the last two optional:

  1. Unit alcohol content per container (mandatory), and per serving (optional). Typical servings deliver 1–3 units of alcohol.[50]
  2. Chief Medical Officer's daily guidelines for lower-risk consumption
  3. Pregnancy warning (in text or as a graphic)
  4. Mention of "drinkaware.co.uk" (optional)
  5. Responsibility statement (e.g., "please drink responsibly") (optional)
Further detailed specifications about the labelling scheme are available from the "Alcohol labelling tool kit".[51]

Drinks companies had pledged to display the three mandatory items on 80% of drinks containers on shelves in the UK off-trade by the end of December 2013.[51] A report published in November 2014, confirmed that UK drinks producers had delivered on that pledge with a 79.3% compliance with the pledge elements as measured by products on shelf. Compared with labels from 2008 on a like-for-like basis, information on Unit alcohol content had increased by 46%; 91% of products displayed alcohol and pregnancy warnings (18% in 2008); and 75% showed the Chief Medical Officers' lower risk daily guidelines (6% in 2008).[52]

Studies published in 2021 in the UK showed that the label could be further enhanced by including pictures of units and a statement of the drinking guidelines - this would help people understand the recommended limits better.[53][54]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ The term "standard drink" was used in the United Kingdom in the first guidelines (1984) that published "safe limits" for drinking, but this was replaced by reference to units of alcohol in the 1987 guidelines and that term has been used in all subsequent UK guidance.[25]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Health Promotion Knowledge Gateway".
  2. ^ Furtwaengler, Nina A. F. F.; De Visser, Richard O. (2013). "Lack of international consensus in low-risk drinking guidelines". Drug and Alcohol Review. 32 (1): 11–18. doi:10.1111/j.1465-3362.2012.00475.x. PMID 22672631.
  3. ^ a b "AUDIT The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Second Edition)" (pdf). WHO. 2001. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Kalinowski, A.; Humphreys, K. (13 April 2016). "Governmental standard drink definitions and low‐risk alcohol consumption guidelines in 37 countries". Addiction. 111 (7): 1293–8. doi:10.1111/add.13341. PMID 27073140.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac "Drinking Guidelines: General Population". IARD.org. International Alliance for Responsible Drinking. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  6. ^ Population Health Division, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing The Australian Standard Drink 2019-05-30 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Canadian Public Health Association. URL: . 2006.
  8. ^ Centre for Addiction and Mental Health / Centre de toxicomanie et de santé mentale Low-Risk Drinking Guidelines
  9. ^ a b Canada, Health (17 May 2013). "Alcohol use". www.canada.ca.
  10. ^ "UVic study suggests setting minimum alcohol price could reduce deaths, hospital visits". Vancouver Island. 29 October 2020.
  11. ^ "Rethink Your Drinking | What's a Standard Drink?".
  12. ^ paihdelinkki.fi, How to use alcohol wisely
  13. ^ "Was ist ein Standardglas?" [What is a standard drink?]. Alkohol? Kenn dein Limit. (in German). Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  14. ^ Department of Health Alcohol and Health: Hong Kong Situation
  15. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 July 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  16. ^ Hope, A. (2009). A Standard Drink in Ireland: What strength? (PDF). Health Service Executive. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  17. ^ a b "AUDIT The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Second Edition)" アルコール使用障害特定テスト使用マニュアル (pdf). WHO (in Japanese). p. 17. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  18. ^ "Units of alcoholic drink" 飲酒量の単位. Japan MHLW e-healthnet (in Japanese). Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  19. ^ MHLW. "tips on alcohol use control consultation – Core-AUDIT" アルコール指導のポイント Core-AUDITの章 (PDF). Japan National Institute of Public Health (in Japanese). p. 48. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  20. ^ New Zealand Food Safety Authority 2008-07-04 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC) What's in a Standard Drink
  22. ^ "Vad är ett standardglas alkohol? | alkoholhjälpen.se". alkoholhjalpen.se.
  23. ^ PRODIGY Knowledge (Department of Health) Alcohol and Sensible Drinking 2006-09-25 at the Wayback Machine
  24. ^ a b "How long does alcohol stay in your blood?". NHS Choices. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  25. ^ "Alcohol guidelines, Eleventh Report of Session 2010–12" (PDF). UK Parliament. House of Commons, Science and Technology Committee. 7 December 2011. p. 7. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  26. ^ "What is an alcohol unit? | Drinkaware".
  27. ^ a b c rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov, US NIH Web site:What's a "standard" drink?
  28. ^ "Alcohol and Public Health: Frequently Asked Questions". CDC. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  29. ^ "Getting tight on units of alcohol". Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin. 39 (12). 1 December 2001. doi:10.1136/dtb.2001.391295. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  30. ^ a b "BBC News - Do you know how much you drink?". BBC. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  31. ^ "Labelling of Alcoholic Beverages". Food Standards Australia New Zealand. 2022. Standard drinks. from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  32. ^ a b Haynes, William M., ed. (2011). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (92nd ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. p. 3.246. ISBN 1-4398-5511-0.
  33. ^ Mongan, Deirdre; Long, Jean (22 May 2015). "Standard drink measures throughout Europe; peoples' understanding of standard drinks and their use in drinking guidelines, alcohol surveys and labelling" (PDF). Reducing Alcohol Related Harm. p. 8. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  34. ^ 14 grams of alcohol is 0.6 US fluid ounces or ~18 mL. → Ethanol listed as 0.78945 g/mL @ 20°C (68°F), 0.6 US fl oz × 29.57 mL/US fl oz = 17.742 ml; 0.78945 g/mL × 17.742 mL = 14.006g
  35. ^ "Alcohol: the Devil is in the Details {So why won't major American wine media run %s in reviews?".}
  36. ^ The volume of the drink in litres multiplied by its percentage strength in ABV give the number of units. In this case, 0.568 × 5.2 gives 2.95; i.e., almost 3 units.
  37. ^ "What is a unit of alcohol | Alcohol and You Northern Ireland". www.alcoholandyouni.com. Retrieved 24 January 2017.[permanent dead link]
  38. ^ . Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  39. ^ . Drinkaware.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 April 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  40. ^ "Sex differences in alcohol metabolism". Women's Health Research Institute: Northwestern University.
  41. ^ Drink limits ‘useless’, The Times, 20 October 2007 7 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  42. ^ "Sensible Drinking. The Report of an Inter-Departmental Working Group" (PDF). www.ias.org.uk. Department of Health. December 1995. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  43. ^ "Government's Alcohol Strategy.Third Report of Session 2012–13" (PDF). House of Commons.Health Committee. The Stationery Office by Order of the House. 10 July 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  44. ^ "Sensible drinking". NIdirect Government Services. 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  45. ^ Kanis JA, Johansson H, Johnell O, et al. (July 2005). "Alcohol intake as a risk factor for fracture". Osteoporosis International. 16 (7): 737–42. doi:10.1007/s00198-004-1734-y. PMID 15455194. S2CID 10303026.
  46. ^ Ed Kuwatch. . Archived from the original on 2 December 2003.
  47. ^ a b Jones, Sandra C.; Gregory, Parri (May 2009). "The impact of more visible standard drink labelling on youth alcohol consumption: Helping young people drink (ir)responsibly?". Drug and Alcohol Review. 28 (3): 230–234. doi:10.1111/j.1465-3362.2008.00020.x.
  48. ^ Australia New Zealand Food Authority (26 June 2002). "7.5 Standard drink labelling for alcoholic beverages produced in New Zealand". Final Assessment Report (Inquiry - S.26) (PDF).
  49. ^ a b . Dept of Health (UK). Archived from the original on 13 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  50. ^ "The risks of drinking too much". nhs.uk. 3 October 2018.
  51. ^ a b . Portman Group. Portman Group. Archived from the original on 11 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  52. ^ . Portman Group. Portman Group. Archived from the original on 13 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  53. ^ "Drinks labels with pictures and guidelines could improve public understanding of Government recommendations". NIHR Evidence (Plain English summary). 23 June 2021. doi:10.3310/alert_46590. S2CID 242903619.
  54. ^ Gold, Natalie; Egan, Mark; Londakova, Kristina; Mottershaw, Abigail; Harper, Hugo; Burton, Robyn; Henn, Clive; Smolar, Maria; Walmsley, Matthew; Arambepola, Rohan; Watson, Robin (19 January 2021). "Effect of alcohol label designs with different pictorial representations of alcohol content and health warnings on knowledge and understanding of low‐risk drinking guidelines: a randomized controlled trial". Addiction. 116 (6): 1443–1459. doi:10.1111/add.15327. ISSN 0965-2140. PMC 8248341. PMID 33169443.

External links edit

  • Online converter between different countries' standard drinks and units
  • Drinkaware
  • NHS Choices: Drinking and alcohol
  • (archived 21 February 2015)
  • Online alcohol demotivator calculator

standard, drink, standard, drink, unit, alcohol, measure, alcohol, consumption, representing, fixed, amount, pure, alcohol, notion, used, relation, recommendations, about, alcohol, consumption, relative, risks, health, helps, educate, alcohol, users, hypotheti. A standard drink or in the UK unit of alcohol is a measure of alcohol consumption representing a fixed amount of pure alcohol The notion is used in relation to recommendations about alcohol consumption and its relative risks to health It helps to educate alcohol users 1 A hypothetical alcoholic beverage sized to one standard drink varies in volume depending on the alcohol concentration of the beverage for example a standard drink of spirits takes up much less space than a standard drink of beer but it always contains the same amount of alcohol and therefore produces the same amount of drunkenness 1 Many government health guidelines specify low to high risk amounts in units of grams of pure alcohol per day week or single occasion These government guidelines often illustrate these amounts as standard drinks of various beverages with their serving sizes indicated Although used for the same purpose the definition of a standard drink varies from country to country United States standard drinks of beer malt liquor wine and spirits compared Each contains about 14 grams or 17 7 ml of ethanol Labeling beverages with the equivalent number of standard drinks is common in some countries Contents 1 Definitions in various countries 2 Calculation of pure alcohol mass in a serving 3 Reference standard drinks 3 1 Beers 3 2 Wines 3 3 Fortified wines 3 4 Spirits 3 5 Mixed spirits and alcopops 4 Recommended maximum 5 Relation to blood alcohol content 6 Labeling 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 10 External linksDefinitions in various countries editThere is no international consensus on how much pure alcohol is contained in a standard drink 2 values in different countries range from 8g to 20g The example questionnaire form for the World Health Organization s Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test AUDIT uses 10g 3 and this definition has been adopted by more countries than any other amount 4 Some countries choose to base the definition on mass of alcohol in grams while others base the unit on the volume in mL or other volume units 1 For comparison both measurements are shown here as well as the number of standard drinks contained in 500 mL of 5 ABV beer 16 9 US fl oz a typical large size of beer in Europe slightly larger than a US pint of 473ml The terminology for the unit also varies as shown in the Notes column Country Mass g Volume mL drinks in 500 mL of 5 ABV beer NotesAlbania 5 10 12 7 2 0Albania 5 14 17 7 1 4Australia 4 6 10 12 7 2 0Austria 4 5 20 25 3 1 0Benin 5 14 17 7 1 4Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 10 12 7 2 0Canada 4 7 8 13 6 or 13 45 9 or 13 5 10 17 2 or 17 9 1 5 This specific unit is computed based on the oz definition as 12 oz 341 ml bottle of 5 alcohol beer cider or cooler 1 5 oz 43 ml shot of 40 hard liquor vodka rum whisky gin etc 5 oz 142 ml glass of 12 wine 11 Costa Rica 5 8 10 2 5Croatia 5 10 12 7 2 0Denmark 4 5 12 15 2 1 6Estonia 5 10 12 7 2 0Fiji 5 10 12 7 2 0Finland 12 12 15 2 1 6France 4 10 12 7 2 0Georgia 5 10 12 7 2 0Germany 4 13 11 13 8 1 8 Standardglas defined as containing 10 12 g central value used here Guyana 5 8 10 2 5Hong Kong 14 10 12 7 2 0Hungary 17 21 5 1 2Iceland 4 15 8 10 2 5 afengiseining defined as 8 g but treated as equivalent to 10 mLIreland 4 16 10 12 7 2 0Italy 4 12 15 2 1 6 unita standard defined as 12 gJapan 3 17 19 75 25 1 0 unit tan i MHLW s conventional unit based on 1 gō unit approx 180 mL of sake Not any standard Japan 17 10 12 7 2 0 drink dorinku Introduced around 2011 to align with the WHO AUDIT and to avoid the conventional unit 20 g of giving a false impression of minimum amount to drink 18 Sometimes also called unit tan i 19 Has no implication of being any standard Korea Republic of 5 8 10 2 5Latvia 5 12 15 2 1 6Luxembourg 5 10 12 12 7 15 2 1 6 2 0Malta 5 8 10 2 5Mexico 5 10 13 12 7 16 5 1 5 2 0Namibia 5 10 12 7 2 0Netherlands 5 10 12 7 2 0New Zealand 4 20 21 10 12 7 2 0North Macedonia 5 14 2 18 1 4Norway 12 8 15 1 7Philippines 5 12 15 2 1 6Poland 4 10 12 7 2 0Portugal 4 11 13 8 1 8 10 12 g central value used here Russia 5 10 12 7 2 0Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5 14 17 7 1 4Seychelles 5 8 10 2 5Singapore 5 10 12 7 2 0Slovenia 5 10 12 7 2 0Spain 4 10 12 7 2 0Sweden 22 12 15 2 1 6 standardglas corresponds to 33 cl 5 beer 13 cl wine or a drink or shot based on 4 cl 40 liquorSwitzerland 4 12 15 2 1 6Taiwan ROC 5 10 12 7 2 0Ukraine 5 10 12 7 2 0United Kingdom 4 23 24 8 10 2 5 unit of alcohol a defined as 10 mL but treated as equivalent to 8 g 26 United States 27 4 28 14 17 7 1 4 standard drink defined as 0 6 fl oz US approximately 14 gUruguay 5 10 12 7 2 0Calculation of pure alcohol mass in a serving edit nbsp Chart showing alcohol unit count for drink size and ABVIn the UK it is sometimes misleadingly stated that there is one unit per half pint of beer or small glass of wine or single measure of spirits However such statements do not take into account the various strengths and volumes supplied in practice 29 30 Such approximations can lead to people underestimating their alcohol intake 30 In some countries the number of units of alcohol in a beverage can instead be read directly on the label 31 In countries without labeling it is possible to calculate the pure alcohol mass in a serving from the concentration density of alcohol and volume Pure alcohol mass volume alcohol by volume density of alcohol displaystyle text Pure alcohol mass text volume times text alcohol by volume times text density of alcohol nbsp For example a 350 ml glass of beer with an ABV of 5 5 contains 19 25 ml of pure alcohol which has a density of 0 78945 g mL at 20 C 32 and therefore a mass of 15 20 grams 350 m L 0 055 0 78945 g m L 15 20 g displaystyle 350 mathrm mL times 0 055 times 0 78945 mathrm g mathrm mL approx 15 20 mathrm g nbsp or 0 35 L 0 055 789 45 g L 15 20 g displaystyle 0 35 mathrm L times 0 055 times 789 45 mathrm g mathrm L approx 15 20 mathrm g nbsp The standard UK units of alcohol in a drink can be determined by multiplying the volume of the drink in millilitres by its percentage ABV and dividing by 1000 For example one imperial pint 568 ml of beer at 4 alcohol by volume ABV contains 568 ml 4 1 unit 10 ml 568 ml 4 100 1 unit 10 ml 568 ml 4 units 1000 ml 2 3 units displaystyle begin aligned 568 mbox ml times 4 times frac 1 mbox unit 10 mbox ml amp amp amp amp 568 mbox ml times frac 4 100 times frac 1 mbox unit 10 mbox ml amp amp amp amp 568 mbox ml times frac 4 mbox units 1000 mbox ml amp 2 3 mbox units end aligned nbsp The formula uses ml 1000 This results in exactly one unit per percentage point per litre of any alcoholic beverage The formula can be simplified for everyday use by expressing the serving size in centilitres and the alcohol content literally as a percentage 75 cl 12 1 unit 1 cl 75 cl 12 100 1 unit 1 cl 75 12 100 units 9 units displaystyle begin aligned 75 mbox cl times 12 times frac 1 mbox unit 1 mbox cl amp amp amp amp 75 mbox cl times frac 12 100 times frac 1 mbox unit 1 mbox cl amp amp amp amp 75 times frac 12 100 mbox units amp 9 mbox units end aligned nbsp Thus a 750 ml bottle of wine at 12 ABV contains 75 cl 12 9 units Alternatively the serving size in litres multiplied by the alcohol content as a number the above example giving 0 75 12 9 units 0 75 l 12 100 units 1 l 0 75 l 12 100 100 units 1 l 0 75 12 units 9 units displaystyle begin aligned 0 75 mbox l times 12 times frac 100 mbox units 1 mbox l amp amp amp amp 0 75 mbox l times frac 12 100 times frac 100 mbox units 1 mbox l amp amp amp amp 0 75 times 12 mbox units amp 9 mbox units end aligned nbsp In the UK both pieces of input data are usually mentioned in this form on the bottle so are easy to retrieve When drink size is in fluid ounces which differ between the UK and the US the following conversions can be used Country Volume of fl oz mL Mass of fl oz of alcohol g UK 28 41 22 43US 29 57 23 34One should bear in mind that a pint in the UK is 20 imperial fluid ounces whereas a pint in the US is 16 US fluid ounces However as 1 imperial fl oz 0 961 US fl oz this means 1 imperial pint 1 201 US pints i e 0 961 20 16 instead of 1 25 US pints Reference standard drinks editA standard drink is often different from a normal serving in the country in which it is served 33 For example in the United States a standard drink is defined as 0 6 US fluid ounce of ethanol per serving which is about 14 grams of alcohol 27 34 32 This corresponds to a 12 US fluid ounce 350 mL can of 5 beer a 5 US fluid ounce 150 mL glass of 12 ABV alcohol by volume wine or a 1 5 US fluid ounce 44 mL so called shot of spirit 27 assuming that beer is 5 ABV wine is 12 ABV and spirits is 40 ABV 80 proof Most wine today is higher than 12 ABV the average ABV in Napa Valley in 1971 was 12 5 35 hence will be more than a standard drink Similarly although 40 ABV is standard for spirits the amount of spirit in a mixed drink varies widely Beers edit Half an imperial pint 284 ml of beer with 3 5 ABV contains almost exactly one UK unit however most beers are stronger In pubs in the United Kingdom beers generally range from 3 5 to 5 5 ABV and continental lagers start at around 4 ABV An imperial pint of such lager e g 568 ml at 5 2 contains almost 3 units of alcohol 36 rather than the oft quoted 2 units Stronger beer 6 12 may contain 2 units or more per half pint imperial A half litre 500 ml of standard lager or ale 5 contains 2 5 units One litre 1000 ml of typical Oktoberfest beer 5 5 6 contains 5 5 6 units of alcohol A beer bottle is typically 333 355ml approximately 1 7 units at 5 375 ml can of light beer 2 7 alcohol 0 8 Australian standard drinks 375 ml can of mid strength beer 3 5 alcohol 1 Australian standard drink 375 ml can of full strength beer 4 8 alcohol 1 4 Australian standard drinks 355 ml can 12 fl oz of 5 ABV beer 1 US standard drinkWines edit nbsp A large 250 ml glass of 12 ABV red wine has about three UK units of alcohol A medium 175 ml glass has about two UK units A medium glass 175 ml of 12 ABV wine contains around 2 1 units of alcohol However British pubs and restaurants often supply larger quantities large glass 250 ml which contain 3 units Red wines often have a higher alcohol content on average 12 5 sometimes up to 16 Even though the sizes of wine glasses are defined in UK law the terms large medium standard etc are not defined in law Wine sold by the glass is often served in nearly full glasses Wine served at home or when bought by the bottle in say a restaurant is usually served in glasses less than half filled the capacity of a wine glass is not the only criterion for judging quantity A 750 ml bottle of 12 ABV wine contains 9 units 16 ABV wine contains 12 units a fortified wine such as port at 20 ABV contains 15 units 100 ml glass of wine 13 5 alcohol 1 Australian standard drink 150 ml glass of wine 13 5 alcohol 1 5 Australian standard drinks One 5 fl oz glass of 12 ABV table wine or 148ml is one US standard drink Fortified wines edit A small glass 50 ml of sherry fortified wine or cream liqueur 20 ABV contains about one unit Spirits edit Most spirits sold in the United Kingdom have 35 40 ABV In England a single pub measure 25 ml of a spirit contains one unit However a larger 35 ml measure is increasingly used and in particular is standard in Northern Ireland 37 which contains 1 4 units of alcohol at 40 ABV Sellers of spirits by the glass must state the capacity of their standard measure in ml In Australia a 30 ml shot of spirits 40 ABV is 0 95 standard drinks In the US one shot of 80 proof liquor is 1 5 fl oz or 44ml and one US standard drink Mixed spirits and alcopops edit 440 ml can of pre mix spirits approx 5 alcohol 1 7 Australian standard drinks 440 ml can pre mix spirits approx 7 alcohol 2 4 Australian standard drinks According to Alcohol and You Northern Ireland resource website Most alcopops contain 1 1 1 5 units per bottle For example a normal 275 ml bottle of WKD contains 1 1 units whereas Bacardi Breezer and Smirnoff Ice both contain 1 5 units of alcohol 38 Recommended maximum editMain article Recommended maximum intake of alcoholic beverages From 1992 to 1995 the UK government advised that men should drink no more than 21 units per week and women no more than 14 39 The difference between the sexes was due to the typically lower weight and water to body mass ratio of women 40 The Times claimed in October 2007 that these limits had been plucked out of the air and had no scientific basis 41 This was changed after a government study showed that many people were in effect saving up their units and using them at the end of the week 42 43 a form of binge drinking Since 1995 the advice was that regular consumption of 3 4 units a day for men or 2 3 units a day for women would not pose significant health risks but that consistently drinking four or more units a day men or three or more units a day women is not advisable 44 An international study 45 of about 6 000 men and 11 000 women for a total of 75 000 person years found that people who reported that they drank more than a threshold value of 2 units of alcohol a day had a higher risk of fractures than non drinkers For example those who drank over 3 units a day had nearly twice the risk of a hip fracture Relation to blood alcohol content editMain article Blood alcohol content As a rough guide it takes about one hour for the body to metabolise break down one UK unit of alcohol 10 ml 8 grams However this will vary with body weight sex age personal metabolic rate recent food intake the type and strength of the alcohol and medications taken Alcohol may be metabolised more slowly if liver function is impaired 24 For other countries it may be easiest to convert to UK units For example in the United States one standard drink contains 14 grams 1 75 units of alcohol and so a US standard drink takes the body about an hour and three quarters to process Blood alcohol content can more accurately be estimated by using Widmark s formula 46 Labeling edit nbsp Example of Wine Bottle label in accordance with UK voluntary health labelling schemeAustralia introduced standard drink labelling in the 1990 s 47 and New Zealand followed with a labelling requirement starting in 2002 48 The labels were criticized for being too small to read A focus group study found that most student drinkers used the labels to choose stronger drinks and identify the cheapest method of getting drunk rather than to drink safely 47 In the UK in March 2011 alcohol companies voluntarily pledged to the UK Department of Health to implement a health labelling scheme to provide more information about responsible drinking on alcohol labels and containers The pledge stated 49 We will ensure that over 80 of products on shelf by December 2013 will have labels with clear unit content NHS guidelines and a warning about drinking when pregnant At the end of 2014 101 companies had committed to the pledge labelling scheme 49 There are five elements included within the overall labelling scheme the first three being mandatory and the last two optional Unit alcohol content per container mandatory and per serving optional Typical servings deliver 1 3 units of alcohol 50 Chief Medical Officer s daily guidelines for lower risk consumption Pregnancy warning in text or as a graphic Mention of drinkaware co uk optional Responsibility statement e g please drink responsibly optional Further detailed specifications about the labelling scheme are available from the Alcohol labelling tool kit 51 Drinks companies had pledged to display the three mandatory items on 80 of drinks containers on shelves in the UK off trade by the end of December 2013 51 A report published in November 2014 confirmed that UK drinks producers had delivered on that pledge with a 79 3 compliance with the pledge elements as measured by products on shelf Compared with labels from 2008 on a like for like basis information on Unit alcohol content had increased by 46 91 of products displayed alcohol and pregnancy warnings 18 in 2008 and 75 showed the Chief Medical Officers lower risk daily guidelines 6 in 2008 52 Studies published in 2021 in the UK showed that the label could be further enhanced by including pictures of units and a statement of the drinking guidelines this would help people understand the recommended limits better 53 54 See also edit nbsp Liquor portal nbsp Drink portalAlcoholic spirits measureNotes edit The term standard drink was used in the United Kingdom in the first guidelines 1984 that published safe limits for drinking but this was replaced by reference to units of alcohol in the 1987 guidelines and that term has been used in all subsequent UK guidance 25 References edit a b c Health Promotion Knowledge Gateway Furtwaengler Nina A F F De Visser Richard O 2013 Lack of international consensus in low risk drinking guidelines Drug and Alcohol Review 32 1 11 18 doi 10 1111 j 1465 3362 2012 00475 x PMID 22672631 a b AUDIT The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Second Edition pdf WHO 2001 Retrieved 2 January 2020 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Kalinowski A Humphreys K 13 April 2016 Governmental standard drink definitions and low risk alcohol consumption guidelines in 37 countries Addiction 111 7 1293 8 doi 10 1111 add 13341 PMID 27073140 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Drinking Guidelines General Population IARD org International Alliance for Responsible Drinking Retrieved 9 April 2023 Population Health Division Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing The Australian Standard Drink Archived 2019 05 30 at the Wayback Machine Canadian Public Health Association URL 1 2006 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Centre de toxicomanie et de sante mentale Low Risk Drinking Guidelines a b Canada Health 17 May 2013 Alcohol use www canada ca UVic study suggests setting minimum alcohol price could reduce deaths hospital visits Vancouver Island 29 October 2020 Rethink Your Drinking What s a Standard Drink paihdelinkki fi How to use alcohol wisely Was ist ein Standardglas What is a standard drink Alkohol Kenn dein Limit in German Bundeszentrale fur gesundheitliche Aufklarung Retrieved 26 September 2017 Department of Health Alcohol and Health Hong Kong Situation Landlaeknisembaettid Icelandic Directorate of Health PDF Archived from the original PDF on 10 July 2022 Retrieved 25 September 2017 Hope A 2009 A Standard Drink in Ireland What strength PDF Health Service Executive Retrieved 2 February 2015 a b AUDIT The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Second Edition アルコール使用障害特定テスト使用マニュアル pdf WHO in Japanese p 17 Retrieved 2 January 2020 Units of alcoholic drink 飲酒量の単位 Japan MHLW e healthnet in Japanese Retrieved 2 January 2020 MHLW tips on alcohol use control consultation Core AUDIT アルコール指導のポイント Core AUDITの章 PDF Japan National Institute of Public Health in Japanese p 48 Retrieved 2 January 2020 New Zealand Food Safety Authority Archived 2008 07 04 at the Wayback Machine Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand ALAC What s in a Standard Drink Vad ar ett standardglas alkohol alkoholhjalpen se alkoholhjalpen se PRODIGY Knowledge Department of Health Alcohol and Sensible Drinking Archived 2006 09 25 at the Wayback Machine a b How long does alcohol stay in your blood NHS Choices Retrieved 11 February 2015 Alcohol guidelines Eleventh Report of Session 2010 12 PDF UK Parliament House of Commons Science and Technology Committee 7 December 2011 p 7 Retrieved 13 February 2015 What is an alcohol unit Drinkaware a b c rethinkingdrinking niaaa nih gov US NIH Web site What s a standard drink Alcohol and Public Health Frequently Asked Questions CDC Retrieved 17 October 2011 Getting tight on units of alcohol Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 39 12 1 December 2001 doi 10 1136 dtb 2001 391295 Retrieved 9 January 2016 a b BBC News Do you know how much you drink BBC 4 June 2010 Retrieved 9 January 2016 Labelling of Alcoholic Beverages Food Standards Australia New Zealand 2022 Standard drinks Archived from the original on 20 September 2023 Retrieved 23 September 2023 a b Haynes William M ed 2011 CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 92nd ed Boca Raton FL CRC Press p 3 246 ISBN 1 4398 5511 0 Mongan Deirdre Long Jean 22 May 2015 Standard drink measures throughout Europe peoples understanding of standard drinks and their use in drinking guidelines alcohol surveys and labelling PDF Reducing Alcohol Related Harm p 8 Retrieved 26 September 2017 14 grams of alcohol is 0 6 US fluid ounces or 18 mL Ethanol listed as 0 78945 g mL 20 C 68 F 0 6 US fl oz 29 57 mL US fl oz 17 742 ml 0 78945 g mL 17 742 mL 14 006g Alcohol the Devil is in the Details So why won t major American wine media run s in reviews The volume of the drink in litres multiplied by its percentage strength in ABV give the number of units In this case 0 568 5 2 gives 2 95 i e almost 3 units What is a unit of alcohol Alcohol and You Northern Ireland www alcoholandyouni com Retrieved 24 January 2017 permanent dead link Question How much alcohol is there in WKD vodka blue Archived from the original on 12 January 2014 Retrieved 27 April 2013 Health Effects of Alcohol Drinkaware co uk Archived from the original on 21 April 2009 Retrieved 27 May 2013 Sex differences in alcohol metabolism Women s Health Research Institute Northwestern University Drink limits useless The Times 20 October 2007 Archived 7 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine Sensible Drinking The Report of an Inter Departmental Working Group PDF www ias org uk Department of Health December 1995 Archived PDF from the original on 9 October 2022 Retrieved 23 March 2020 Government s Alcohol Strategy Third Report of Session 2012 13 PDF House of Commons Health Committee The Stationery Office by Order of the House 10 July 2012 Archived PDF from the original on 9 October 2022 Retrieved 23 March 2020 Sensible drinking NIdirect Government Services 2013 Retrieved 27 May 2013 Kanis JA Johansson H Johnell O et al July 2005 Alcohol intake as a risk factor for fracture Osteoporosis International 16 7 737 42 doi 10 1007 s00198 004 1734 y PMID 15455194 S2CID 10303026 Ed Kuwatch Fast Eddie s 8 10 Method of Hand Calculating Blood Alcohol Concentration A Simple Method For Using Widmark s Formula Archived from the original on 2 December 2003 a b Jones Sandra C Gregory Parri May 2009 The impact of more visible standard drink labelling on youth alcohol consumption Helping young people drink ir responsibly Drug and Alcohol Review 28 3 230 234 doi 10 1111 j 1465 3362 2008 00020 x Australia New Zealand Food Authority 26 June 2002 7 5 Standard drink labelling for alcoholic beverages produced in New Zealand Final Assessment Report Inquiry S 26 PDF a b Alcohol Labelling pledge Dept of Health UK Archived from the original on 13 February 2015 Retrieved 13 February 2015 The risks of drinking too much nhs uk 3 October 2018 a b UK Alcohol Health Labelling Portman Group Portman Group Archived from the original on 11 February 2015 Retrieved 13 February 2015 Drinks companies achieve voluntary alcohol labelling target Portman Group Portman Group Archived from the original on 13 February 2015 Retrieved 13 February 2015 Drinks labels with pictures and guidelines could improve public understanding of Government recommendations NIHR Evidence Plain English summary 23 June 2021 doi 10 3310 alert 46590 S2CID 242903619 Gold Natalie Egan Mark Londakova Kristina Mottershaw Abigail Harper Hugo Burton Robyn Henn Clive Smolar Maria Walmsley Matthew Arambepola Rohan Watson Robin 19 January 2021 Effect of alcohol label designs with different pictorial representations of alcohol content and health warnings on knowledge and understanding of low risk drinking guidelines a randomized controlled trial Addiction 116 6 1443 1459 doi 10 1111 add 15327 ISSN 0965 2140 PMC 8248341 PMID 33169443 External links editOnline converter between different countries standard drinks and units Drinkaware NHS Choices Drinking and alcohol NHS Choices Alcohol unit calculator archived 21 February 2015 Online alcohol demotivator calculator Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Standard drink amp oldid 1186660514, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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