Standard drink

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A standard drink is a notional drink containing, amongst other components, a specified amount of alcohol. The standard drink is used in many countries to quantify alcohol intake. It is usually re-expressed as a measure of beer, wine, or spirits for convenience. The standard drink varies significantly from country to country, from 10 ml (7.9 g) of alcohol in the UK to as high as 25 ml (19.75 g) in Japan.

The value of one standard drink does not necessarily reflect a typical serving size in its country. In Britain the term unit of alcohol is used instead to underscore this point. For example, a typical drink of 1 pint of ale of five percent alcohol by volume contains 2.8 units.

[edit] Standard drinks as defined by various countries

Amount of alcohol is stated in grams and millilitres. Number of standard drinks contained in 500ml of beer with 5% ABV, a typical large drink of beer, is stated for comparison.

Country Weight Volume 500ml beer
Australia 10 g 12.7 ml 2.0 s.drinks
Canada[1] 13.5 g 17.1 ml 1.5 s.drinks
Denmark 12 g 15.2 ml 1.6 s.drinks
Finland 11 g 13.9 ml 1.8 s.drinks
France 12 g 15.2 ml 1.6 s.drinks
Hungary 17 g 21.5 ml 1.2 s.drinks
Iceland 9.5 g 12 ml 2.1 s.drinks
Ireland 10 g 12.7 ml 2.0 s.drinks
Italy 10 g 12.7 ml 2.0 s.drinks
Japan 19.75 g 25 ml 1.0 s.drinks
Netherlands 9.9 g 12.5 ml 2.0 s.drinks
New Zealand 10 g 12.7 ml 2.0 s.drinks
Poland 10 g 12.7 ml 2.0 s.drinks
Portugal 14 g 17.7 ml 1.4 s.drinks
Spain 10 g 12.7 m 2.0 s.drinks
UK 7.9 g 10 ml 2.5 s.drinks
USA 14 g 17.7 ml† 1.4 s.drinks

†defined as 0.6 fl oz

[edit] References

  1. ^ Canadian Public Health Association. drinkingfacts.ca. URL: http://www.drinkingfacts.ca/english/downloads/facts.pdf. Accessed on: October 10, 2007.

[edit] External links

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