scholarly journals Reducing the standard serving size of alcoholic beverages prompts reductions in alcohol consumption

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inge Kersbergen ◽  
melissa oldham ◽  
Andrew Jones ◽  
Matt Field ◽  
Colin Angus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Laboratory Study ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Health Benefit ◽  
Alcohol Policy ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Serving Size

Aims: We tested whether reducing the standard serving size of alcoholic beverages would reduce voluntary alcohol consumption in a laboratory (study 1) and a real-world drinking environment (study 2). Additionally, we modelled the potential public health benefit of reducing the standard serving size of on-trade alcoholic beverages in the UK.Design: Studies 1 and 2 were cluster-randomised experiments. In study 1, participants were randomly assigned to receive standard or reduced serving sizes (by 25%) of alcohol during a laboratory drinking session. In study 2, customers at a bar were served alcohol in either standard or reduced serving sizes (by 28.6% – 33.3%). Finally, we used the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model to estimate the number of deaths and hospital admissions that would be averted per year in the UK if a policy that reduces alcohol serving sizes in the on-trade was introduced.Setting: A semi-naturalistic laboratory (study 1), a bar in Liverpool, UK (study 2).Participants: Students and university staff members (study 1: N = 114, mean age 24.8 years, 74.6% female), residents from local community (study 2: N = 164, mean age 34.9 years, 57.3% female).Measurements: Outcome measures were units of alcohol consumed within one hour (study 1) and up to three hours (study 2). Serving size condition was the primary predictor. Findings: In study 1, a 25% reduction in alcohol serving size led to a 20.7% - 22.3% reduction in alcohol consumption. In study 2, a 28.6% - 33.3% reduction in alcohol serving size led to a 32.4% - 39.6% reduction in alcohol consumption. Modelling results indicated that decreasing the serving size of on-trade alcoholic beverages by 25% could reduce the number of alcohol-related hospital admissions and deaths per year in the UK by 4.4% - 10.5% and 5.6% - 13.2%, respectively. Conclusions: Reducing the serving size of alcoholic beverages leads to a reduction in alcohol consumption within a single drinking occasion. Reducing the standard serving sizes of alcoholic beverages may reduce alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm at the population level.

scholarly journals Estonia: Problems created by border-trade for applying high-tax alcohol policy

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
T Täht ◽  
H Laarmann
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Global Strategy ◽  
Alcohol Policy ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Policy Document ◽  
Excise Tax ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Border Trade ◽  
The Government ◽  
Over Exploitation

Abstract In early 2000s, Estonia had one of the highest levels of alcohol consumption globally. In 2008, the average salary could buy 62 litres of strong spirits, compared with 28 litres in 2000; the increase of affordability was one of the highest in the EU. Since then, alcohol consumption per capita has been reduced by a third, which has also led to a reduction in related problems: mortality from alcohol-related illnesses has fallen by 40%. This was achieved with the progressive adoption of measures that rely heavily, but not exclusively, on increasing excise taxes. In 2014 a comprehensive alcohol policy document was adopted, paving the way to the measures in all 10 areas of WHO global strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol. Since then Estonia has launched treatment programme and awareness campaigns, restricted advertising and the exposure of alcohol in the public sphere. By 2017, the over-exploitation of the tax-based measures backfired. The twofold alcohol price difference between Estonia and Latvia, resulting from doubling the excise tax for beer and raising significantly those for other alcoholic beverages, caused an unintended increase in cross-border trade between the two countries. This, in turn, caused a new wave of public discussion around pricing policies, and a loss of popular support for tax increases. As a first step to address the problem, the government halved the tax increase planned for February 2018, thus increasing beer tax by 9% and spirits tax by 5%. Tax increases scheduled for 2019 and 2020 were cancelled, and taxes on spirits, beer and cider were cut by 25% instead. This resulted in Latvia decreasing their spirits taxes by 15% in turn. This development forces health promoters to seek new ways to reduce harm to public health and win back support to healthy policy choices.

scholarly journals High variation in manufacturer-declared serving size of packaged discretionary foods in Australia

2016 ◽  
Vol 115 (10) ◽  
pp. 1810-1818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hila Haskelberg ◽  
Bruce Neal ◽  
Elizabeth Dunford ◽  
Victoria Flood ◽  
Anna Rangan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Portion Size ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Median Percentage ◽  
Percentage Difference ◽  
Dietary Guideline ◽  
Food And Beverage ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Serving Size ◽  
Sydney Australia

AbstractDespite the potential of declared serving size to encourage appropriate portion size consumption, most countries including Australia have not developed clear reference guidelines for serving size. The present study evaluated variability in manufacturer-declared serving size of discretionary food and beverage products in Australia, and how declared serving size compared with the 2013 Australian Dietary Guideline (ADG) standard serve (600 kJ). Serving sizes were obtained from the Nutrition Information Panel for 4466 packaged, discretionary products in 2013 at four large supermarkets in Sydney, Australia, and categorised into fifteen categories in line with the 2013 ADG. For unique products that were sold in multiple package sizes, the percentage difference between the minimum and the maximum serving size across different package sizes was calculated. A high variation in serving size was found within the majority of food and beverage categories – for example, among 347 non-alcoholic beverages (e.g. soft drinks), the median for serving size was 250 (interquartile range (IQR) 250, 355) ml (range 100–750 ml). Declared serving size for unique products that are available in multiple package sizes also showed high variation, particularly for chocolate-based confectionery, with median percentage difference between minimum and maximum serving size of 183 (IQR 150) %. Categories with a high proportion of products that exceeded the 600 kJ ADG standard serve included cakes and muffins, pastries and desserts (≥74 % for each). High variability in declared serving size may confound interpretation and understanding of consumers interested in standardising and controlling their portion selection. Future research is needed to assess if and how standardising declared serving size might affect consumer behaviour.

scholarly journals Reducing the standard serving size of alcoholic beverages prompts reductions in alcohol consumption

Addiction ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 113 (9) ◽  
pp. 1598-1608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inge Kersbergen ◽  
Melissa Oldham ◽  
Andrew Jones ◽  
Matt Field ◽  
Colin Angus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Serving Size

scholarly journals Reflections on Italy's Decreasing Alcohol Consumption

1994 ◽  
Vol 11 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 245-250
Author(s):  
Amedeo Cottino ◽  
Elisabetta Forni
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Policy ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Healthy Lifestyles ◽  
Essential Component ◽  
The Past ◽  
Main Meals ◽  
People Today ◽  
At Home

Although Italy still lacks an alcohol policy, consumption of alcoholic beverages, and in particular wine, has been decreasing steadily for several decades. Why? The authors argue that, even if most Italians maintain the habit of eating their main meals at home, wine is losing its role as an essential component of the menu. People today drink smaller amounts and less often than in the past particularly because wine is no longer “eaten” as before. In addition, two other factors may have contributed to the decline in consumption: the loss of confidence in producers and wholesalers following the toxic wine scandals and the increasing preoccupation with healthy lifestyles.

scholarly journals Drinking beer, wine or spirits – does it matter for inequalities in alcohol-related hospital admission? A record-linked longitudinal study in Wales

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Gartner ◽  
Laszlo Trefan ◽  
Simon Moore ◽  
Ashley Akbari ◽  
Shantini Paranjothy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Health Condition ◽  
Housing Tenure ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Beverage Type ◽  
Alcohol Related Harm ◽  
Related Harm ◽  
Deprived Areas

Abstract Background Alcohol-related harm has been found to be higher in disadvantaged groups, despite similar alcohol consumption to advantaged groups. This is known as the alcohol harm paradox. Beverage type is reportedly socioeconomically patterned but has not been included in longitudinal studies investigating record-linked alcohol consumption and harm. We aimed to investigate whether and to what extent consumption by beverage type, BMI, smoking and other factors explain inequalities in alcohol-related harm. Methods 11,038 respondents to the Welsh Health Survey answered questions on their health and lifestyle. Responses were record-linked to wholly attributable alcohol-related hospital admissions (ARHA) eight years before the survey month and until the end of 2016 within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank. We used survival analysis, specifically multi-level and multi-failure Cox mixed effects models, to calculate the hazard ratios of ARHA. In adjusted models we included the number of units consumed by beverage type and other factors, censoring for death or moving out of Wales. Results People living in more deprived areas had a higher risk of admission (HR 1.75; 95% CI 1.23–2.48) compared to less deprived. Adjustment for the number of units by type of alcohol consumed only reduced the risk of ARHA for more deprived areas by 4% (HR 1.72; 95% CI 1.21–2.44), whilst adding smoking and BMI reduced these inequalities by 35.7% (HR 1.48; 95% CI 1.01–2.17). These social patterns were similar for individual-level social class, employment, housing tenure and highest qualification. Inequalities were further reduced by including either health status (16.6%) or mental health condition (5%). Unit increases of spirits drunk were positively associated with increasing risk of ARHA (HR 1.06; 95% CI 1.01–1.12), higher than for other drink types. Conclusions Although consumption by beverage type was socioeconomically patterned, it did not help explain inequalities in alcohol-related harm. Smoking and BMI explained around a third of inequalities, but lower socioeconomic groups had a persistently higher risk of (multiple) ARHA. Comorbidities also explained a further proportion of inequalities and need further investigation, including the contribution of specific conditions. The increased harms from consumption of stronger alcoholic beverages may inform public health policy.

Investigating the volume and structure of alcohol consumption in Russian regions

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiana Kossova ◽  
Elena Kossova ◽  
Maria Sheluntcova
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Policy ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Russian Regions ◽  
Absolute Alcohol ◽  
Macroeconomic Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Over Time

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine macroeconomic factors that are significantly related to consumption of various alcoholic beverages in Russia. Design/methodology/approach The authors consider 78 Russian regions for the period from 2008 to 2012. Data were collected from the Federal State Statistics Service of Russia. The authors investigate differences in the volume and structure of consuming absolute alcohol in aggregate, vodka, beer, and wine. Estimating fixed effect panel models enables us to reveal the relationship between alcohol consumption and the set of macroeconomic factors that include economic development of regions and living standards, the effect of unemployment, and the degree of urbanization. Findings Alcohol consumption is procyclical in Russia. Two main alcoholic beverages in Russia are vodka and beer. Economic development and urbanization of regions are positively related to consuming alcohol. Unemployment rate affects consumption of different types of alcoholic drinks in a different way. For absolute alcohol, vodka and beer, this relationship is negative. However, it is positive for wine. The effect of unemployment on absolute alcohol and vodka increases over time. For beer, it is remained unchanged. For wine, this effect weakens over time. Originality/value To the authors knowledge, the paper is the first one to analyze macro-level factors of consumption of different alcoholic beverages in Russia. Conclusions made on aggregate macroeconomic data add to understanding of drinking patterns in Russia as a country with the large territory and great regional variations. Findings can be used for correcting the alcohol policy at the national and regional level.

Impact of the introduction of rotavirus vaccination on paediatric hospital admissions, Lothian, Scotland: a retrospective observational study

2016 ◽  
Vol 102 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Forrest ◽  
Laura Jones ◽  
Lorna Willocks ◽  
Alison Hardie ◽  
Kate Templeton
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Vaccination Programme ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Health Benefit ◽  
Retrospective Observational Study ◽  
Annual Number ◽  
Complication Rates ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Hospital Acquired ◽  
The Impact

ObjectiveRotavirus (RV) vaccination was introduced into the UK vaccination schedule in July 2013. This retrospective observational study assessed, in a UK setting, the impact of the vaccination programme on the number of RV gastroenteritis (RVGE) admissions, the complications of RVGE in hospitalised children, and the impact on hospital-acquired RVGE.DesignOver a 3 year period, 1-year before and 2 years after the introduction of the vaccine, children under 13 years of age in Lothian region with RV+ve stool sample by PCR were identified, retrospectively, and admission data (length of stay, complications) and vaccination status analysed. Viral strain (vaccine/wild type) was typed using PCR-based methods in vaccinated children.ResultsVaccination uptake in the first 2 years of the programme was 93–94%. In the 2 years following vaccine introduction, the annual number of confirmed RVGE admissions fell by 84.7% (95% CI 75.4 to 91.0), from 131 to 20, bed days reduced by 91.1% (86.9 to 94.1), from 325 to 29, and suspected hospital-acquired infections reduced by 95.7% (73.5–99.5), from 23 to 1. The reduction in admissions was seen across all age groups despite the vaccination only being administered to infants. Despite the reduction in incidence, complication rates in children admitted with RVGE remained unchanged across the three study years. A frequent incidental finding was RV vaccine strain in the stools of vaccinated children, up to 43 days after last immunisation. There has been no concurrent increase in rate of intussusception in the region.ConclusionsThese results provide encouraging initial evidence of the public health benefit, including to the unimmunised population, of the RV vaccination programme in the UK.

scholarly journals Understanding public opinion to the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing in Scotland: a qualitative study using Twitter. (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence Astill Wright ◽  
Su Golder ◽  
Adam Balkham ◽  
Jim McCambridge
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Policy Implementation ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Alcohol Policy ◽  
Policy Issues ◽  
Related Individuals ◽  
Unit Pricing ◽  
The Uk

BACKGROUND On 1st May 2018 Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) of alcohol was introduced in Scotland to reduce the health, social and economic consequences of greater alcohol consumption when compared to the rest of the UK. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess responses to the policy implementation in comments made on Twitter. METHODS All tweets relating to MUP were captured during the two weeks after the introduction of the policy. These tweets were assessed using a mixture of human and machine coding for relevance, sentiment and source. A thematic analysis was conducted. RESULTS 74,639 tweets were collected over 14 days. Study findings demonstrate that opinion on the introduction of MUP in Scotland is divided, as far as is discernible on twitter, with a slightly higher proportion of positive posts, particularly in Scotland itself. Furthermore, 55% of positive tweets/retweets were originally made by health or alcohol policy-related individuals or organisations. Thematic analysis of tweets showed some evidence of misunderstanding around policy issues. CONCLUSIONS It is possible to appreciate the divided nature of public opinion on the introduction of MUP in Scotland using twitter, the nature of the sentiment around it, and key actors involved, and it will be possible to later study how this changes when the policy becomes more established.

Effects of thwarted interpersonal needs and acute alcohol consumption on cognition and affect about death

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Young-Sil Kwon ◽  
Seung-Cheol Kim ◽  
Yu-Ra Lee ◽  
Myoung-Ho Hyun
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Clinical Assessment ◽  
Significant Interaction ◽  
Affective Responses ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Related Risk ◽  
Cognitive Priming ◽  
Interpersonal Needs

We investigated the effects of thwarted interpersonal needs and acute alcohol consumption on cognitive and affective responses regarding death, with data from 67 students who were drinkers of alcoholic beverages. Each student was randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups distinguished by the presence or absence of both thwarted interpersonal needs and acute alcohol consumption. Cognitive priming bias about death-related risk and fearlessness about death were assessed. Results show significant interaction effects between thwarted interpersonal needs and acute alcohol consumption on cognitive priming bias about death-related risk and fearlessness about death. The findings contribute to explaining how acute alcohol consumption can transform individuals' self-aggressive desire into behavior. Therefore, careful clinical assessment of individuals' frustration in interpersonal relationships and their alcohol consumption is required to prevent risks associated with self-aggressive behavior.

scholarly journals Does CSR Activity Amount to Socially Responsible Management?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. John Foster
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Responsible Management ◽  
Exploratory Investigation ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Corporate Social

AbstractIn essence firms or companies are usually thought to exist to make products for or provide services of some sort to third parties, other companies or individuals. The philosophical question which naturally arises then is ‘to the benefit of whom should a firm’s activities be aimed?’ Possible answers include the owners of the firm, the firm’s employees or wider society, the firm’s local community or their host nation. It is because of firms’ location within a wider society that the issue of corporate social responsibility arises. The issue is do they contribute in a positive way to the fabric of society. In this paper we conduct an exploratory investigation whose research questions, broadly, are whether there is public evidence of corporate social responsibility activity by firms listed in the UK and to what extent, if any, such activities may amount to genuinely socially responsible management by the firms. We examined the most up to date annual reports of a split sample of 36 firms listed in the FTSE 350. The short answers to the two research questions above are: to some degree and no by some margin, based on data from the sample firms.

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