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Study suggests reducing the size of a pint of beer to combat alcohol consumption
Researchers have theorized that reducing the size of a pint of beer could be the best plan of attack for dealing with the growing issue of alcohol consumption.
No matter how many times we are told about the people who shouldn’t be drinking or the increased chance of developing cancer, the human race is obsessed with alcohol. The line between casual drinking and outright alcoholism is never clear, which contributes to the world’s growing alcohol problem.
Your pint of beer might soon not be a pint at all
Though global warming might trash our dependency on alcohol altogether, most Americans have some kind of relationship with alcohol. Perhaps you enjoy a trip to your local sports bar for a pint with the boys, or maybe you’re more of a cozy night-in and a bottle of wine kind of person.
Unfortunately, your trips to the bar could look very different in the near future if government officials listen to the information provided in a new PLOS Medicine study from the UK.
Theresa Marteau and her colleagues at the University of Cambridge found that pubs, bars, and restaurants served less alcohol when they reduced the size of the drinks.
Earlier studies had already shown that wine consumption can be reduced by offering small servings, but the University team questioned whether the same could be said for drinks usually drunk in pints like cider, larger, and beer.
The researchers approached venues in the UK and requested that they only offer two-thirds as the largest size for a period of four weeks. They soon found that removing the pint option reduced the amount of alcohol purchased by an impressive 9.7%.
Though some venues reported an uptick in wine purchases as a result, over half of the increase came from one location.
Though no customers complained about the change, only 1% of businesses approached agreed to take part in the study.
Such methods could improve population health
Despite the alcohol-induced euphoria that drinking creates, there is no denying the detrimental health effects it also causes.
“Removing the offer of pints in 13 licensed premises for 4 weeks reduced the volume of beer sold. This is in keeping with the emerging literature showing that smaller serving sizes help us drink less and presents a novel way of reducing alcohol consumption and improving population health.”
