A test of the proposal to label containers of alcoholic drink with alcohol content in Standard Drinks

Bibliographic Data

ID22945025
AuthorsTim Stockwell (0000-0002-5696-6803, Curtin University, corresponding author), Debra Blaze‐Temple (Curtin University), DEBRA BLAZE-TEMPLE, Christine Walker (0000-0003-3505-9742, Curtin University)
Year1991
Volume6
Issue3
Pages207-215
Publication date1991-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Promotion International (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0957-4824 • E-ISSN: 1460-2245
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/heapro/6.3.207
OpenAlexW2061209071
LanguageEN
Citations received6

Health education about alcohol increasingly relies on setting maximum limits for low-risk consumption expressed in terms of ‘Standard Drinks’ (1 SD = 10g ethyl akohol). In a sample of 257 West Australian drinkers contacted in a shopping mall, 173 (67.3%) had heard of SDs before but only 46(17.9%) could correctly define one. Subsequently, all subjects were taught how to use the SD system and had to pass a comprehension test before proceeding with an alcohol estimation experiment. A sub-sample of 52 beer drinkers underestimated the combined alcohol content of three cans of beer by a mean of 1.2 SDs when the alcohol content was depicted by the current method of percentage alcohol by volume. The addition of a SD label on each can significantly reduced the mean error to 0.17 SD (t = 6.78, p <0.0001). Similarly, 50 wine drinkers underestimated the alcohol content of a half bottle of wine by 0.84 SDs with a percentage label and by only 0.26 SDs when an SD label was added (t = 4.3, p < 0.0001). After attempting an alcohol estimation task, 63% of the full sample of 257 drinkers reported preferring the SD label, 23% the percentage label and 13% were undecided. SD labels were also preferred by 77% of subjects over alternative labels variously expressing alcohol content in grams of alcohol, decigrams and ‘units’ of alcohol. The results are interpreted as supporting the proposal that Standard Drink labelling should be introduced on all alcohol containers to provide greater assistance to drinkers who wish to drink responsibly.

Alcohol · Alcohol content · Alcoholic intoxication · Alcoholics Anonymous · Environmental health · Ethanol content · Poison control · Psychiatry · Suicide prevention · Test (biology) · Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects · Chemistry · Food Science · Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis · Medicine · Psychology · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

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