New study found women drinking alcohol in high levels, despite health warnings

Alarming new research has found women in Australia are drinking alcohol at dangerous levels despite knowing the harm it can bring.

More than 300,000 Australian women are regularly drinking at high-risk levels, consuming 11 or more standard drinks in one sitting at least once a month, researchers from Flinders University have revealed.

Consuming 11 drinks in one sitting is better known as binge-drinking.

Binge drinking among women can lead to health issues. Credit: istock

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Victoria Kostadinov from the College of Medicine and Public Health said women have been “historically” under-represented in alcohol research.

“In particular, research regarding women who drink at very high levels is lacking, with most of the research not differentiating between those who drink slightly above the official guidelines and those who drink well above these level,” she said.

“What makes this especially concerning is that unfortunately women are more susceptible than men to experiencing severe health problems from excessive drinking, including liver issues, cardiovascular disease, cancers and mental health issues like depression and anxiety.”

Alcohol is also suspected to interact with a woman’s biological rhythms such as oestrogen and progesterone cycles, and that it can negatively impact menopause.

Drinking at celebrations is seen as a normal thing in society. Credit: istock

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), more than one in four (26.8 per cent) of adults in Australia (5.2 million) exceeded the Australian Alcohol Guideline in 2022.

More than one in three (36.1 per cent) young adults aged between 18 to 24 years exceeded the guideline.

The ABS classifies exceeding the guideline as consuming more than 10 drinks within one week.

This isn’t a recent rise, with the study highlighting that daily alcohol consumption by women between 1950 to 1980 had increased by 203 per cent, compared to the 6 per cent rise in men during this time period.

The research also found that since the 1990s, drinking culture, drinking spaces and even marketed alcohol products have been targeted at women.

Women who drank at very high risk levels were found to more likely be unmarried, younger, experience high psychological distress and have a mental health condition compared to men who drank at similarly high levels.

The research is calling for more strategies and support tailored towards women. Credit: istock

Ms Kostadinov said the findings show a need for support systems specifically designed to help women in these instances.

“Our findings support the need for tailored strategies to prevent and manage very high-risk consumption among women, with a focus on how sex and gender can affect responses to treatment, policies, and health promotion messages,” she said.

The study points out the health risks that women face at high alcohol consumption levels, with the National Centre for Education and Training (NCETU) director Professor Jacqueline Bowden saying cancer is just one of them.

“Alcohol consumption can increase women’s risk of various cancers, including digestive, breast and pancreatic cancer, as well as other health issues and being susceptible to alcohol-related abuse,” she said.

“By monitoring and understanding these trends, we hope to help inform public health policies and ensure women can access appropriate supports to reduce alcohol-associated harms.”