The stress of breaking exclusives; the pressure of deadlines or worries about their future – whichever the excuse, media workers are the UK’s biggest binge-drinkers.
People working in the sector consume an average of 44 units a week - almost twice the maximum alcoholic intake that the state recommends for both men and women.
Department of Health data also show that nearly a third of media staff, which includes those in publishing and entertainment, feel their colleagues pressurise them to drink.
An equal number of workers in the IT sector made the same complaint, yet, in a week, they drink almost six bottles of lager (10 units) fewer than workers in the media.
Retail and service sector workers are third heaviest drinkers, getting through 33 units a week, according to the average readings taken for the DoH by pollster YouGov.
Finance, insurance and real estate workers are only the fourth heaviest drinkers, perhaps as their flow of champagne has been restricted, out of choice or necessity.
No figures were cited for MPs, though the government did issue a warning about a few cold ones at the end of the day which is applicable to all types of professional
“After-work drinks are often part of working life,” said Dawn Primarolo, the Public Health Minister “It’s tempting to just go for 'a swift one', even when you know your body needs a rest. But, one can quickly turn into many.”
She added: “Regularly drinking more than your daily limits can have a serious knock-on effect on your long term health.”
Separate figures from the DoH show that more than a third of drinkers admit they are likely to eat more than usual, or ditch their healthy diet, when consuming above the recommended daily limits.
May 29, 2009
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