Study: 1 in 5 British men drink heavily

A British study has suggested one in five men in the country can be classified as a "heavy drinker."

The study, which defines heavy drinking as consuming more then four pints of beer or a comparable amount of other alcoholic beverages every day of the week, said that among survey respondents, 19 percent of men and eight percent of women qualified as heavy drinkers, The Telegraph reported Wednesday.

The British government has recommended men consume no more than three to four units -- defined as half a pint of lager, beer or cider, a single measure of spirits, one glass of wine or a small glass of port or sherry -- per day, and women consume no more than two to three units.

The survey said 69 percent of survey respondents know the difference between sensible and heavy drinking, but many choose to ignore the distinctions in practice

The results are based on data from the country's annual General Household Survey, which includes a sampling of 2,474 adults.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International