Quarter of all women never touch a drink
NEARLY one in four British women is now teetotal, a survey claims.
And Britain is becoming a more sober nation altogether, with 45 per cent of men and 36 per cent of women saying they are trying to drink less.
The poll of 2,000 adults for trade magazine The Grocer found 23 per cent of women do not touch a drop. For men the figure is 14 per cent.
While men are not as likely to be teetotal, those who enjoy a drink are more likely to be making an effort to sup less.
“Men are more likely to be trying to moderate their intake than women, suggesting many men – or perhaps their more abstemious wives and girlfriends – are concerned about the amount of drink they’re knocking back,” The Grocer said.
The trend is thought to be motivated by health concerns among older people. Among younger adults aged 25 to 34, only 13 per cent are teetotal, compared to 21 per cent of the over-55s.
However, many are still drinking more than the recommended 14 units of alcohol a week.
Across both sexes and all age groups, 15 per cent say they “usually” drink more than that.
Three per cent “always” drink more than the safe amount.
Twenty-four per cent say they keep to the 14 units a week guideline.