iPhone app tracks alcohol units

The NHS has released an iPhone application to help people track their drinking during the festive season.

The application is the first of its kind to be released for mobile phones by the Department of Health and is available for download from iTunes and www.nhs.uk/tools.

It helps people to:

• Work out how many alcoholic units there are in a glass of wine or pint of beer;
• See how much alcohol they have consumed over a set period, such as a week or month;
• Get personalised feedback on their drinking habits;
• Find local NHS clinics and advice centres

Public Health Minister Gillian Merron said: “It is all too easy to lose track of how much you drink. So as the festive parties start to build up, this innovative tool will help people keep tabs on their drinking – wherever they are.

“It’s one of many ways the Government is helping people to understand how much they are drinking. Sticking within the NHS recommended limits means you reduce the risk of serious conditions such as mouth cancer and strokes.”

Chief Executive of Drinkaware Chris Sorek said: “Efforts to help people keep track of how much they’re drinking over the festive season and throughout the year are a good idea.

"Trying to stick within the daily unit guidelines will help people avoid the January slump and the long term health implications associated with drinking too much alcohol.”

Those that do not have an iPhone can use their mobile phone to text the word ‘UNIT’ to number ‘64746’ to receive information on NHS Choices alcohol units calculator.

The current advice for ‘lower-risk' drinking is:

• Men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units a day
• Women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day

The application can be found at: www.nhs.uk/Tools

This article was published on Tue 1 December 2009