Number of women ‘drinking themselves to death’ soars 37% – are you boozing too much? Take a 2-minute quiz to find out
THE number of women dying from alcohol-related diseases is rapidly rising in the UK, new figures show.
Experts blame the surge on booze brands deliberately targeting their products at women.
While drinking is still killing more men, the rate of alcohol-related deaths is rising substantially faster among women, according to new data from the (ONS).
The latest figures reveal that the number of women who lost their lives to booze in the UK increased by 37 per cent in five years - from 2,399 to 3,293 between 2016 and 2021.
Whereas alcohol-related deaths in men have seen a 29 per cent increase over the same period, from 4,928 to 6,348.
Professor Debbie Shawcross, an expert in hepatology and chronic liver failure at King’s College London’s Institute of Liver Studies, said liver disease is a particular issue in women.
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“Women tend to present with more severe liver disease, particularly alcohol-related hepatitis and do so after a shorter period of excessive drinking and at a lower daily alcohol intake than men," she told .
"This can be accounted for by differences in body size and composition - less muscle mass."
She also argued that it's harder for women who struggle from alcoholism to get help, as there is a greater “cultural stigma” for women who drink, compared with their male counterparts.
Alcohol-related liver disease often has no symptoms until the liver has been permanently damaged, according to the NHS.
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This means many people don't get diagnosed or seek treatment until it's too late.
Signs something is wrong can include:
- Tiredness and weakness
- Itchy skin
- Loss of sex drive
- Feeling or being sick
- Reduced appetite
- Weight loss
- Yellow eyes and/or skin, known as jaundice
Women are also more susceptible to alcohol-related liver disease because they have lower levels of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol.
Dr Richard Piper, chief executive of the charity , claimed that the main factor causing the surge is the “incessant marketing of drinks towards women”.
In the last few years, pink cocktail cans have made their way to supermarket shelves, many boasting fewer calories.
Even some clothing stores have jumped on the bandwagon, selling tops with slogans like 'wine time' or 'wine mum' plastered on the front.
Long-term effects of alcohol misuse
Drinking large amounts of alcohol for many years will take its toll on many of the body's organs and may cause organ damage.
Some of these include:
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Pancreatitis
- Liver disease
- Liver cancer
- Mouth cancer
- Head and neck cancer
- Breast cancer
- Bowel cancer
- Depression
- Dementia
- Sexual problems, such as impotence or premature ejaculation infertility
- Damage to the brain, which can lead to problems with thinking and memory
Source: NHS
Are you boozing too much?
Enjoying a tipple now and then to socialise, celebrate or unwind isn't uncommon.
But there is a difference between occasionally drinking and drinking too much.
The NHS recommends that both women and men have no more than 14 units of booze a week, with a small glass of wine equating to around 1.5 units.
Charity has created a which can help you figure out whether you are at risk of health issues associated with heavy boozing.
After answering 10 quick questions on your drinking habits and relationship with alcohol, you will get a score from 0 to 40.
If you score lower than seven, you’re at low risk of dependence on alcohol and of health problems from drinking.
As your mark increases, so does your health risk.
Any score above 20 suggests your drinking is dangerous to your health.
GET HELP
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- For confidential advice, tips and online tools, see . You can talk to a professional adviser by online chat or over the phone or find a list of support services either online or local to you.
- Drinkaware urges anyone worried about their drinking, or someone else’s, to call Drinkline on 0300 123 1110.
- Anyone concerned about their own or someone else’s drinking can also talk anonymously to a trained advisor via our online webchat. Just go to .