Scientists have discovered an effective method to get people to drink less alcohol.
In a study of nearly 8,000 people, researchers found that a combination of highlighting increased cancer risk and counting each drink may be useful for promoting good health in the population.
“Telling people that alcohol causes cancer is only part of the solution – we also need to give them ways to take action to reduce their risk,” economist and psychologist Simone Pettigrew of the George Institute for Global Health in Australia explained in 2021 when the findings were released.
Excessive alcohol consumption, of course, doesn’t just increase the risk of cancer, but is linked to a whole host of problems, including premature death, heart disease, digestive problems and an increased risk of dementia. However, the fear of cancer seems to “work best”.
Advertising that links alcohol and cancer is the most effective
Three surveys were completed for the study: 7,995 people completed the first, 4,588 of them completed the second three weeks later, and 2,687 people completed the final survey three weeks after that. Participants were divided into different groups and shown different advertisements and messages about the drink.
One combination stood out, compared to a control group: A TV ad linking alcohol and cancer, along with a suggestion to be mindful of the amount of drinks consumed, was one of the most effective in encouraging people to try to cut down on alcohol.
It was also the only combination where people actually significantly reduced their alcohol consumption over six weeks.
Other approaches – such as encouraging people to decide on a certain number of drinks and stick to it – encouraged some of the volunteers to try to cut back, but there was a clear winner, Science Alert reports.
“Many people don’t know that alcohol is carcinogenic. That’s important information that consumers should have access to,” says Pettigrew. “We found that pairing information about alcohol and cancer with a specific practical action—counting their drinks—resulted in consumers reducing the amount of alcohol they consumed.”
WHO: Even 7% of premature deaths are due to alcohol
Alcohol consumption can be attributed to as much as 7% of premature deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, and raising awareness of the health risks among alcohol users is one way to address this problem.
Although health agencies have also considered ways to make alcohol less available and more expensive, ultimately personal choices will determine whether drinking behavior changes over the long term.
in this particular study, participants were selected to be “broadly demographically representative of the Australian alcohol consuming public”. It’s not an approach that’s guaranteed to work elsewhere – but it seems like counting drinks might be one option to try if you’re looking to cut down on your consumption.
“There are limited resources for alcohol harm reduction campaigns, so it’s important to find out which messages resonate best to ensure they have the best chance of success,” Pettigrew points out.
The research was published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.