Drinking on special occasions shows huge increase on people’s typical drinking estimates

Asking people about their typical alcohol consumption fails to take account of a major increase in their drinking on holidays and special occasions, and this atypical drinking may add an extra 40% to their total alcohol intake, a survey of adults in England has shown.

Researchers asked a nationally representative sample of 6085 people aged 16 and over about their typical drinking and any changes in consumption on what they termed routine atypical days, such as Friday nights, as well as on special occasions …