Managers and professionals have a higher weekly alcohol intake than routine and manual workers, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). 


The Annual Lifestyle Survey, which looked at people’s habits in 2009, found that the average weekly alcohol consumption was 13.5 units for  adults in households classified as managerial and professional and 10.7 units for adults in routine and manual households.

The survey found that in managerial and professional households, 41% of men exceeded four units and 35% of women exceeded three units on at least one day in the week before interview, compared to 34% of men and 23% of women in routine and manual households.

In managerial and professional households, 23% of men and 15% of women drank heavily (more than eight units for men, more than six units for women) on at least one day in the previous week, compared to 19% of men and 11% of women in routine and manual households.

The current recommendations for alcohol intake are a maximum of three to four units per day for men and two to three units per day for women.

Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of the charity Drinkaware, said:

"While there continues to be a strong culture of drinking as part of professional roles it's not surprising to see managers drinking more than manual workers. Meetings and get-togethers are all situations where professionals may feel under pressure to drink. We also know many de-stress with a drink at home after a long working day."

Smoking was found to be nearly twice as common among adults in routine and manual occupation groups as it is in managerial and professional groups. In households classified as routine and manual, 29% of adults smoked cigarettes, compared to 15% of adults in managerial and professional households.

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