New study links binge drinking in Ireland to higher risk of developing heart disease

A binge-drinking culture could be behind Northern Ireland’s high rates of heart disease, according to a new study.

The study, which compared drinking patterns of middle-aged men from three cities in France with those in Belfast, found that the volume of alcohol consumed over a week in both countries was almost identical. However, in Belfast, alcohol tended to be drunk over one or two days rather than regularly throughout the week, as in France. The research also found that the average amount of alcohol consumed in Belfast over the weekend was about two to three times higher than in France.

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Source: Irish Medical Times, 07/01/2011