Like 80% of French people, are you planning to drink this evening (and not just water)? While your desire to celebrate is completely understandable, the consumption of alcoholic beverages represents, as always, a major risk to your health. So we asked Dr. Gérald Kierzek what drinking actually means.in moderation” in order to limit the damage this evening.
Drink in moderation on New Year’s Eve: instructions for use
According to the annual Road Safety barometer published this Tuesday, nearly eight in ten French people (79%) plan to consume alcohol this evening, with an average of 3.2 drinks per person. However, 47% of them also ignore the time needed to eliminate a glass of alcohol.
A real risk of drunkenness which worries Dr Gérald Kierzek, medical director of True Medical. The emergency doctor, regularly confronted with alcohol-related accidents, therefore wishes to recall the basic principles: “Drinking in moderation means limiting alcohol to avoid immediate risks like drunkenness or hangovers, and long-term health dangers.
he specifies.
A standard glass is equivalent to 10 grams of alcohol for (10 cl of wine at 12°, 25 cl of beer at 5° or 2.5 cl of spirits at 40°). “For an occasional evening like New Year’s Eve, do not exceed four standard glasses maximum, ideally less to minimize toxic risks. he emphasizes.
In everyday life, limit your consumption to ten drinks per week, with at least two days of abstinence and no more than 2-3 drinks per day.
Finally, take advantage of Dry January to take stock of your consumption and your relationship with alcohol.
Alcohol: how to limit your consumption?
While it’s not always easy to say no to a drink, a few tips can help on a daily basis to reduce the amount of alcohol ingested:
- Set a drink limit in advance (example: 2-3) and alternate with water or non-alcoholic drinks to stay hydrated;
- Eat before and during (protein, healthy fats like nuts or avocado) to slow the absorption of alcohol;
- Space out the glasses, opt for light drinks (low ABV like spritz) and avoid drinking on an empty stomach or drinking excess bubbles which accelerate intoxication.
Alcohol and driving: a very bad combination
If a quarter of French people intend to drive this evening – and eight out of ten plan to drink – the combo of alcohol and driving is very dangerous.
“When driving, the golden rule is simple: zero alcohol. Even a small amount can cause you to exceed the legal limit and cause an accident!” recalls Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
- In detail, for an experienced driver, the limit is 0.5 g/L of blood (or 0.25 mg/L of exhaled air), equivalent to approximately 1-2 standard glasses depending on weight and gender;
- Young drivers (probationary license <3 years) must not exceed 0.2 g/L, which is often zero drinks in practice.
- As for professionals (taxi, etc.), the limit is even stricter: 0.1 g/L maximum.
What alternatives are available to us if we still want to drink?
Even if New Year’s Eve falls in the middle of the week this year, possibly leading to travel, adopting safe actions is not impossible. To do this, think about:
- Designate a sober party captain who does not drink;
- Use a taxi, Uber, VTC, carpooling or reinforced nighttime public transport for New Year’s Eve;
- Buy a personal breathalyzer to check your alcohol level before hitting the road (available at pharmacies).
As Sophy Sainten, general delegate of the Prévention Road association, summarizes so well, “When you plan your evening, you plan how you’re going to get home.”