A recent study published in the journal – Nature suggests that the amount of alcohol people get through is significantly influenced by their genes. Researchers looked at genetic analysis for almost 3.4 million people who were asked how many alcoholic drinks they consumed on average. The study defined a drink as a 150ml glass of wine at 12 percent strength, a 350ml bottle of beer at 5 percent or a shot of spirit.
For those from a white European background, the 10 percent with the highest genetic score linked to drinking, put away more than seven drinks a week. The 10 percent with the lowest score drank less than four. Professor Dajlang Liu a co-author of the study said ‘ genes play an important partial role’ in how much we drink. The findings show people with a higher genetic likelihood were smokers and tended to consume more alcohol.
Online Wine Club comment - This may be so but with all the publicity explaining the detrimental impact of smoking and drinking to excess, the health burden is on the individual today, not in the past.
