Standard drink explained

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. 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.

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

Definitions in various countries

There is no international consensus on how much pure alcohol is contained in a standard drink;[2] values in different countries range from 8to. The example questionnaire form for the World Health Organization's Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) uses 10g, and this definition has been adopted by more countries than any other amount.[3] 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 5001NaN1 of 5% ABV beer (a typical large size of beer in Europe, slightly larger than a US pint of 473 mL). The terminology for the unit also varies, as shown in the Notes column.

Amount of pure alcohol (in grams or millilitres) contained in a standard drink, as defined in different countries.
Country Mass
(g) 		Volume
(mL)
  1. drinks in 500 mL of 5% ABV beer
Notes
Albania 10 12.7 2.0
Albania 14 17.7 1.4
Australia[4] 10 12.7 2.0
Austria[5] 20 25.3 1.0
Benin 14 17.7 1.4
Bosnia and Herzegovina 10 12.7 2.0
Canada[6] [7] 13.6 or 13.45 [8] or 13.5[9] 17.2 or 17 1.5This 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.[10]
Costa Rica 8 10 2.5
Croatia 10 12.7 2.0
Denmark 12 15.2 1.6
Estonia 10 12.7 2.0
Fiji 10 12.7 2.0
Finland[11] 12 15.2 1.6
France 10 12.7 2.0
Georgia 10 12.7 2.0
Germany[12] 11 13.8 1.8 Standardglas defined as containing 10–12 g (central value used here)
Guyana 8 10 2.5
Hong Kong[13] 10 12.7 2.0
Hungary 17 21.5 1.2
Iceland[14] 8 10 2.5 áfengiseining defined as 8 g but treated as equivalent to 10 mL
Ireland[15] 10 12.7 2.0
Italy 12 15.2 1.6 unità standard defined as 12 g
Japan[16] [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".
Japan1012.72.0"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 8 10 2.5
Latvia 12 15.2 1.6
Luxembourg 10-12 12.7-15.2 1.6-2.0
Malta 8 10 2.5
Mexico 10-13 12.7-16.5 1.5-2.0
Namibia 10 12.7 2.0
Netherlands 10 12.7 2.0
New Zealand[20] [21] 10 12.7 2.0
North Macedonia 14.2 18 1.4
Norway 12.8 15 1.7
Philippines 12 15.2 1.6
Poland 10 12.7 2.0
Portugal 11 13.8 1.8 10–12 g (central value used here)
Russia 10 12.7 2.0
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 14 17.7 1.4
Seychelles 8 10 2.5
Singapore 10 12.7 2.0
Slovenia 10 12.7 2.0
Spain 10 12.7 2.0
Sweden 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[22]
Switzerland 12 15.2 1.6
Taiwan (ROC) 10 12.7 2.0
Ukraine 10 12.7 2.0
United Kingdom[23] [24] 8 10 2.5 unit of alcohol defined as 10 mL but treated as equivalent to 8 g.[25]
United States[26] 14 17.7 1.4 standard drink defined as 0.6 fl oz (US) pure ethanol, approximately 14 g
Uruguay 10 12.7 2.0

Calculation of pure alcohol mass in a serving

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.[27] [28] Such approximations can lead to people underestimating their alcohol intake.[28] In some countries, the number of units of alcohol in a beverage can instead be read directly on the label.[29]

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

For example, a 350ml 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), and therefore a mass of 15.2g.350\,\mathrm \times 0.055 \times 0.78945\,\mathrm/\mathrm \approx 15.20\,\mathrmor0.35\,\mathrm \times 0.055 \times 789.45\,\mathrm/\mathrm \approx 15.20\,\mathrm

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, 1imppt of beer at 4% alcohol by volume (ABV) contains:

\begin{align} 568ml x 4\% x

1unit
10ml

&&=&&568ml x

4
100

x

1unit
10ml

&&=&&568ml x

4units
1000ml

&=2.3units \end{align}

The formula uses . 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:

\begin{align} 75cl x 12\% x

1unit
1cl

&&=&&75cl x

12
100

x

1unit
1cl

&&=&&75 x

12
100

units&=9units \end{align}

Thus, a 750ml 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:

\begin{align} 0.75l x 12\% x

100units
1l

&&=&&0.75l x

12
100

x

100units
1l

&&=&&0.75 x 12units&=9units \end{align}

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

A standard drink is often different from a normal serving in the country in which it is served.[30] For example, in the United States, a standard drink is defined as 0.6USfloz of ethanol per serving, which is about 14 grams of alcohol.[31] [32] [33] This corresponds to a 12USoz can of 5% beer, a 5USoz glass of 12% ABV (alcohol by volume) wine, or a 1.5USoz so-called "shot" of spirit,[31] 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% [34]), 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

Wines

Fortified wines

Spirits

Most spirits sold in the United Kingdom have 35%-40% ABV. In England, a single pub measure (25ml) of a spirit contains one unit. However, a larger 35ml measure is increasingly used (and in particular is standard in Northern Ireland[36]), 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 30ml shot of spirits (40% ABV) is 0.95 standard drinks.

In the US, one shot of 80 proof liquor is 1.5USfloz, which is one US standard drink.

Mixed spirits and alcopops

Recommended maximum

See main 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.[38] (The difference between the sexes was due to the typically lower weight and water-to-body-mass ratio of women).[39] The Times claimed in October 2007 that these limits had been "plucked out of the air" and had no scientific basis.[40]

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,[41] [42] 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.[43]

An international study[44] 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

See main 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.[45]

Labeling

Australia introduced standard drink labelling in the 1990's,[46] and New Zealand followed with a labelling requirement starting in 2002.[47] 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.[46]

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:[48]

"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.

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.[49]
  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".[50]

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. 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).[51]

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.[52] [53]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Health Promotion Knowledge Gateway.
  2. Lack of international consensus in low-risk drinking guidelines. 10.1111/j.1465-3362.2012.00475.x. 2013. Furtwaengler. Nina A. F. F.. De Visser. Richard O.. Drug and Alcohol Review. 32. 1. 11–18. 22672631.
  3. Governmental standard drink definitions and low‐risk alcohol consumption guidelines in 37 countries . Addiction. 111. 7. 1293–8. 2016-04-13. 10.1111/add.13341. 27073140. Kalinowski. A.. Humphreys. K.. free.
  4. Population Health Division, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing The Australian Standard Drink
  5. Web site: Drinking Guidelines: General Population. IARD.org. International Alliance for Responsible Drinking. 9 April 2023.
  6. Canadian Public Health Association. URL: https://web.archive.org/web/20160305015945/http://icap.org/portals/0/download/all_pdfs/icap_reports_english/report5.pdf. 2006.
  7. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health / Centre de toxicomanie et de santé mentale Low-Risk Drinking Guidelines
  8. Web site: Alcohol use. Health. Canada. May 17, 2013. www.canada.ca.
  9. Web site: UVic study suggests setting minimum alcohol price could reduce deaths, hospital visits. October 29, 2020. Vancouver Island.
  10. Web site: Rethink Your Drinking | What's a Standard Drink?.
  11. paihdelinkki.fi, How to use alcohol wisely
  12. Web site: Was ist ein Standardglas? . What is a standard drink? . Alkohol? Kenn dein Limit. . . DE . September 26, 2017.
  13. Department of Health Alcohol and Health: Hong Kong Situation
  14. Web site: Landlæknisembættið, Icelandic Directorate of Health. 2017-09-25. 2022-07-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20220710211150/https://www.landlaeknir.is/servlet/file/store93/item2535/3370.pdf. dead.
  15. Book: Hope. A.. A Standard Drink in Ireland: What strength?. 2009. Health Service Executive. 2 February 2015.
  16. Web site: AUDIT The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Second Edition). 2001. WHO. pdf. 2020-01-02.
  17. Web site: AUDIT The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Second Edition). WHO. 17. ja. ja:アルコール使用障害特定テスト使用マニュアル. pdf. 2020-01-02.
  18. Web site: Units of alcoholic drink. Japan MHLW e-healthnet. ja. ja:飲酒量の単位. 2020-01-02.
  19. Web site: tips on alcohol use control consultation – Core-AUDIT. MHLW. Japan National Institute of Public Health. 48. ja. ja:アルコール指導のポイント Core-AUDITの章. 2020-01-02.
  20. http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/consumers/food-safety-topics/food-processing-labelling/food-labelling/fact-sheets/fs-2003-04-alcohol-labelling.htm New Zealand Food Safety Authority
  21. Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC) What's in a Standard Drink
  22. Web site: Vad är ett standardglas alkohol? | alkoholhjälpen.se. alkoholhjalpen.se.
  23. PRODIGY Knowledge (Department of Health) Alcohol and Sensible Drinking
  24. Web site: How long does alcohol stay in your blood? . 11 February 2015 . NHS Choices.
  25. Web site: What is an alcohol unit? | Drinkaware .
  26. Web site: Alcohol and Public Health: Frequently Asked Questions . CDC . 2011-10-17 .
  27. Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin. Getting tight on units of alcohol. 10.1136/dtb.2001.391295. 2001-12-01. 39. 12. editorial-->. 9 January 2016.
  28. Web site: BBC News - Do you know how much you drink?. 2010-06-04. 9 January 2016. BBC.
  29. Web site: Labelling of Alcoholic Beverages . Standard drinks. . 2022 . 2023-09-23 . 2023-09-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230920161732/https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/labelling/Pages/Labelling-of-alcoholic-beverages.aspx . live.
  30. Web site: Mongan . Deirdre . Long . Jean . May 22, 2015 . Standard drink measures throughout Europe; peoples' understanding of standard drinks and their use in drinking guidelines, alcohol surveys and labelling . September 26, 2017 . Reducing Alcohol Related Harm . 8.
  31. Web site: What's a Standard Drink Measurement? . Rethinking Drinking . NIAAA . 28 June 2024.
  32. 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
  33. 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.
  34. Web site: Alcohol: the Devil is in the Details .
  35. The volume of the drink in litres multiplied by its percentage strength in ABV give the number of units. In this case, ; i.e., almost 3 units.
  36. Web site: What is a unit of alcohol Alcohol and You Northern Ireland. www.alcoholandyouni.com. en-US. 2017-01-24.
  37. Web site: Question:- "How much alcohol is there in WKD vodka blue?" . 27 April 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140112043845/http://www.qfak.com/livelihood/food_drink/?id=b158893#.UXvAYaKG2So . 12 January 2014 . dead .
  38. Web site: Health Effects of Alcohol . Drinkaware.co.uk . 27 May 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090421194737/http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/factsheets/health-fact-sample-2 . 21 April 2009.
  39. Web site: Sex differences in alcohol metabolism. Women's Health Research Institute: Northwestern University.
  40. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article2697975.ece Drink limits ‘useless’
  41. Web site: Sensible Drinking. The Report of an Inter-Departmental Working Group . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.ias.org.uk/uploads/pdf/Consumption%20docs/dh_4084702.pdf . 2022-10-09 . live . www.ias.org.uk . Department of Health . 23 March 2020 . December 1995.
  42. Web site: Government's Alcohol Strategy.Third Report of Session 2012–13 . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmhealth/132/132.pdf . 2022-10-09 . live . House of Commons.Health Committee. The Stationery Office by Order of the House. . 23 March 2020 . 10 July 2012.
  43. Web site: Sensible drinking . 2013 . 27 May 2013 . NIdirect Government Services.
  44. Kanis JA . Alcohol intake as a risk factor for fracture . Osteoporosis International . 16 . 7 . 737–42 . July 2005 . 15455194 . 10.1007/s00198-004-1734-y . vanc. Johansson H . Johnell O . 3 . Oden . Anders . Laet . Chris . Eisman . John A. . Pols . Huibert . Tenenhouse . Alan. 10303026 .
  45. Web site: Ed Kuwatch . Fast Eddie's 8/10 Method of Hand Calculating Blood Alcohol Concentration: A Simple Method For Using Widmark's Formula . https://web.archive.org/web/20031202155933/http://www.dui-law.com/810art.htm . 2003-12-02 .
  46. Jones . Sandra C. . Gregory . Parri . The impact of more visible standard drink labelling on youth alcohol consumption: Helping young people drink (ir)responsibly? . Drug and Alcohol Review . May 2009 . 28 . 3 . 230–234 . 10.1111/j.1465-3362.2008.00020.x.
  47. Book: Final Assessment Report (Inquiry - S.26). 7.5 Standard drink labelling for alcoholic beverages produced in New Zealand. Australia New Zealand Food Authority. 26 June 2002.
  48. Web site: Alcohol Labelling pledge. Dept of Health (UK). 13 February 2015. 13 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150213210941/https://responsibilitydeal.dh.gov.uk/pledges/pledge/?pl=1. dead.
  49. Web site: October 3, 2018 . The risks of drinking too much . nhs.uk.
  50. Web site: UK Alcohol Health Labelling. Portman Group. Portman Group. 13 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150211183841/http://www.portmangroup.org.uk/codes/alcohol-marketing/alcohol-labelling. 11 February 2015. dead.
  51. Web site: Drinks companies achieve voluntary alcohol labelling target. Portman Group. Portman Group. 13 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150213184249/http://portmangroup.org.uk/media/news-details/2014/11/06/drinks-companies-achieve-voluntary-alcohol-labelling-target. 13 February 2015. dead.
  52. 2021-06-23 . Drinks labels with pictures and guidelines could improve public understanding of Government recommendations . NIHR Evidence . Plain English summary . en . 10.3310/alert_46590. 242903619 .
  53. 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 . en . 116 . 6 . 1443–1459 . 10.1111/add.15327 . 0965-2140 . 8248341 . 33169443.

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